Switched
by poryu
Summary: Set in Blackened Wing's universe: After so much suffering, Kaname and Zero are finally taking it easy, relaxing in the villa where they live together. Unbeknownst to them, enemies are hatching a devious plan: to switch the hunter with his past self. When it unexpectedly works, both vampires, in the past as well as in the future, struggle to deal with the consequences. Warning: KxZ.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! I'm Poryu! *bows shyly* This is my first ever attempt at writing a fanfic, so I'm still very unfamiliar with everything. Please do forgive me for any silly mistakes I (will) end up making! Okay, let me tell you more about myself and the inspiration for this fanfic. Like many KxZ fans, I absolutely LOVE **Blackened Wing**'s duet series. (And all her other fics, of course!) Her stories are legendary (if you haven't read them GO DO SO RIGHT NOW!) and I've been reading them over and over again. I do hope she's well and will come back when she's ready, to complete her SitD fic and to bestow upon us many, _many_ more wonderful stories. (If anyone has any news of her please do share it with me T.T) I love how she makes her stories so believable, portraying the transition of the relationship between Kaname and Zero from mutual dislike to mutual love, all the while keeping both of them in character. Because of her stories, I fell in love with the KxZ pairing 3 So that's why, in this fic, I've written it (or tried very hard to) using her style of the characters. Another author I must definitely mention: **TammyTBoneTTB**, for it was her Time Switch fanfic that gave me the inspiration for this little fanfic. I took the idea and applied it to Blackened Wing's fanfic universe, and hence this was born. Timing-wise, it's probably set not long after her Take the Lead story. I haven't figured out if SitD has taken place yet.

Whoa that was a long A/N. Especially for my first. I'm pretty sure most of that should've been in my bio or something, but heh, that's okay. LOL. I have no idea if anyone will come across this beginner piece - how do people find new fanfic to read, anyway? -, and am really pretty curious to see how many views and comments, if at all, it can get. I would appreciate any feedback at all, so please don't hesitate to leave a review. It'll make my day :) Also, I'm not very sure of how this should be rated. Just going to put M first. If that's wrong, please inform me :)

**Plot: **After so much suffering and loss, Kaname and Zero are finally taking it easy, enjoying each other's company in the villa where they live together. Unbeknownst to them, enemies are hatching a devious plan: to switch the hunter with his past self, in the hopes that the ex-human of years ago will betray the pureblood. When it unexpectedly works, both vampires, in the past as well as in the present, must struggle to deal with the consequences.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. Well, nothing much. Credits to **Matsuri Hino, Blackened Wing **and** TammyTBoneTTB.**

* * *

_PRESENT_

'...Kaname?'

The soft voice next to his ear stirred Kaname from his sleep. He had always been a light sleeper, but the only voice that could penetrate his thoughts, whether conscious or not, had always been that of his lover.

'Mmm?' Kaname stretched lazily, raising his right arm above his head on the pillows and letting the stretch make his toes curl. _Mm, that feels so good_.

His left arm remained where it was, holding his bed partner pressed tight against his bare chest. His lips turned up into a small smile as he realised said person had been trying to push away from him the last few minutes. He tightened his hold, adding his right arm to further trap his 'prey' in his embrace.

Zero scowled at the pureblood.

'Hey. Stop being so clingy so early in the mor-evening,' he admonished, despite the warmth in his eyes when he looked up at his lover. Despite the years that had passed, he still had difficulties translating human terms into vampire terms; it was just too damn confusing.

'I would've thought that after last night, you would have had enough of me already...'

Kaname chuckled at the light flushing of Zero's cheeks as the latter recalled their activities of the previous night. They had finally found time to go out for their second date, going to Happy Burger as Zero had promised, but that had turned out to be a far cry from their first date, with them having to leave midway during the meal because, as Zero put it, 'Kaname was an insatiable beast who could get turned on by any damned thing'. Well, in Kaname's defence, the way Zero had been licking ketchup off his fingers had been innocently seductive, bringing to mind other... things... that Zero could've been licking. His imagination had gone into overdrive, with images rapidly flashing through his mind, causing heat to rush to his lower regions. In an instant, as if a switch had been thrown, his hunger had switched from food to something very different, but much, _much_ more pleasurable.

Zero had glanced up from the half-eaten burger in his hands only to see that all-too-familiar darkening of the pureblood's gaze, before he had been hauled off to the restroom by his lover. After that, Kaname had quickly managed to persuade Zero to return home to their villa where he proceeded to have Zero carry out some of the images he had seen. They had gone at it relentlessly for hours, until they had both passed out from exhaustion in each other's arms.

'Zero,' drawled Kaname, turning his head to sensually lick a circle on his lover's pale cheek. 'You should know by now that I will never tire of you... or your beautiful body.'

Zero shivered, both from the sensation of the moist flesh on the sensitive skin, and from the words. Despite Kaname's playful tone, he knew that the pureblood meant every word he said. And even though he had no doubt whatsoever of his lover's whole-hearted love for him, he would always appreciate being told so. His heart swelled with happiness and love, and the painfully honest part of himself couldn't hold back a reply.

'Me too, you big goof.'

Kaname grinned and turned on his side, arms still entrapping the silver-haired hunter. He pressed his lips against the other's, feeling Zero gasp softly as he pushed his tongue into the warm cavern without warning. As he kissed his lover senseless, tongue playfully nudging Zero's, his hands started to wander around the naked body he held. One hand curled behind Zero's neck, fingers reaching around to lightly massage his sensitive bite area. Zero gasped again, one hand shooting out to wrap his pale fingers around Kaname's wrist, as if to pull it away. Before he could, however, Kaname let his other hand trail down to Zero's waist, tracing small circles on his hip.

Zero gave a little yelp, fingers tightening around Kaname's wrist, not to pull it away, as he had originally intended, but to be able to hold on to _something _to stop him from getting lost in the pleasure his lover was giving him.

'Kaname,' breathed Zero. 'Don't...'

'Don't what?' Kaname murmured with a smile, not breaking their passionate kiss. 'Don't stop?'

His hand at Zero's waist trailed across the skin, circles getting closer and closer to _something_ that was in need of a little more attention.

Zero groaned, torn between annoyance at how his lover knew exactly how to render him putty in his hands, and pleasure from his lover's gentle, sensual ministrations.

'Don't...' he panted, trying to find the strength to resist and to say what he had wanted to.

'Don't what?' Kaname repeated, fingers straying dangerously close to Zero's straining flesh.

'Don't do anym- uhh!'

Zero couldn't hold back his strangled cry as Kaname's fingers finally struck gold, lightly brushing against his length. His free hand went to the back of the pureblood's head, fingers burying within the brown tresses.

'...Don't...' panted Zero.

Kaname's hand and lips paused, waiting for Zero to continue.

'...stop...'

A sweet flush covered Zero's cheeks and ears as he turned away in embarrassment.

'Stop? You want me to stop?' queried the pureblood, cocking his head to one side in mock puzzlement. The glint in his eyes, however, betrayed his amusement.

Zero's flushed deepened. His eyes flickered back to meet Kaname's gaze in a heated glare that betrayed his need.

'Don't stop, dammit!'

Kaname shot his lover a triumphant smirk, before his lips fell back onto Zero's again.

XXX

An hour later, Zero finally managed to escape the pureblood's arms. Deliberately ignoring the pureblood's seductive leers and calls, he ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower, slipping into a soft tee and jeans. When he returned into the bedroom, Kaname was still lying on the bed in the same position, eyes half closed, breathing slow and even.

Zero paused, cautiously approaching the side of the bed. Kaname opened his eyes more fully, shooting him a cheeky grin, an invitation in his raised eyebrow, but Zero could tell that the pureblood was more drained than he was letting on. It _was_ still early in the evening after all, and Kaname had exerted himself right after waking, despite having passed out from the same kind of exertion just a couple of hours ago. Zero leaned down and pressed his lips softly against the pureblood's forehead, at the same time pulling up the covers over his body.

'Go back to sleep, Kaname,' he murmured. 'I'll go make us some breakfast.'

Kaname nodded, eyes already closing despite his efforts, fatigue unexpectedly winning over his desire to admire and ravish his freshly-showered lover.

'Mmm... Love you, Zero.'

Zero smiled, gazing down tenderly at his lover.

'Love you too, Kaname,' he whispered to the sleeping vampire, before he quietly left the room.

* * *

_PRESENT_

'Are you sure this will work?'

The taller of the two clocked men shot the other a withering glance, causing him to immediately regret his question.

'How many times are you going to ask, fool? It'll work if it does. If not, no harm done anyway.'

The younger figure nodded hastily, bowing his head slightly in a show of respect, but mostly in fear.

_No harm done... except to their sacrificial lamb._

The young teenage girl lay unconscious in the middle of the dirty floor. Her unawareness of what was happening was probably just about the only thing she could be grateful for, for it saved her from the pain that she would otherwise be feeling, and also the horror of what was to come. Her wrists had been slit and her blood had been used to trace a symbol onto the floor, before she had been dumped there. The two men had seen no point in tending to her wounds, instead letting her blood drain slowly but surely all around her. Though the smell of her blood filled the room, the two vampires were not the least bit affected. Being the high-ranking nobles they were, such low quality human blood was not the least bit appetising to them.

As the elder vampire chanted the words of a spell from the ancient book he was holding, the symbol painted onto the floor glowed, lightly at first, then brighter, ending in a flash that had both vampires reeling backwards, stars exploding in their vision despite the sunglasses they had thought to don.

And then there was silence.

When the two vampires finally managed to recover sufficiently from the damage to their highly sensitive eyes, the girl was gone, having been absorbed by the spell. The blood on the floor was all that remained of her.

The elder vampire smirked ominously.

'It is done.'

* * *

_PAST_

A breeze stirred the air, mussing up Zero's silver locks and rustling the leaves in the maple trees around him. His hands shoved deep in his pockets, Zero scowled, shaking his head to flick off a lock of hair that had had the gall to fall over his eyes, obscuring his view.

The prefect was on his nightly patrol around the school. Yuki was strolling next to him, chattering on about a funny incident that had happened earlier in class. Zero was barely listening, more focussed on scanning his surroundings for any vampire presences. There weren't any, but his senses were tingling, as if sensing something was coming. He was on edge, but he didn't quite know why. Something just felt... wrong.

'Zero?'

Yuuki had paused in her story and turned to him, perhaps realising that he had been silent for the past few minutes.

He glanced at her, and found that she was just a blurry figure next to him. He could barely make out her features. _What the hell?_ Dragging the back of his hand over his eyes, Zero blinked a couple of times, before looking at her again. It was getting worse. Now he could barely see her at all, her black uniform blending into the darkness of night. If he hadn't known she was standing right beside him, he wouldn't have been able to sense her at all. As he cast his gaze around, he realised that it wasn't just Yuuki that was blurred. Everything else was too – the trees, the dorms, the light posts – everything.

Zero's head spun and a sudden dizziness hit him. He swayed on his feet unsteadily, before ending up on his hands and knees on the grass. From a distance, he heard Yuuki's worried voice calling out to him, but his vision was totally dark. Cold horror gripped him as his brain started to shut down and he was no longer able to support himself. He felt himself hit the ground hard, but couldn't command his body to move according to his wishes.

_What the hell was going on? Had he been poisoned?_

That was all the time he had to think before the rest of his consciousness faded away and he sunk fully into the depths of darkness.

* * *

_PRESENT_

'Zero! Hey, wake up! Zero!'

A low voice was yelling into his ear, forcing him to leave the comforting darkness in which he was submerged. He moaned softly as he felt himself being shaken awake, despite his desperate attempts to remain in the quiet, peaceful sanctuary of unconsciousness.

As he slowly regained consciousness, he could feel a bright light shining down on him from behind his closed eyelids. He gradually became aware of a warm body pressed up against his, one arm tightly cradling his body, the other lightly slapping his cheek. The next second, he felt something brush his consciousness. He shuddered at the unpleasant, invasive contact. As the foreign force probed at his mind, Zero's mind immediately cleared, and he slammed up walls around his mind, preventing further access. Thankfully, the force retreated almost immediately.

Though his mind was reawakening quickly from its previously unconscious state, it still took a while before he sensed the vampire presence next to him.

And it wasn't just any vampire.

Of all vampires, he was _him_.

Now on full alert, Zero's eyes snapped open, and faster than the wind, he shot out of the other's hold, throwing himself across to the other side of the room. _No, not a room, but a kitchen_, Zero's mind told him, even as he steeled his features and tensed, all his attention focussed solely on the vampire that had risen from his knees to his feet.

'Zero...?'

Zero's upper lip curled at the sound of Kuran Kaname's voice.

'What are you doing here, Kuran?' sneered Zero, eyes narrowing as the other vampire took a step towards him.

Kaname blinked at his lover's cold tone. He hadn't heard him speak to him in that voice in _years_. Was Zero mad at him because he had hurt him somehow during their earlier activities? Or because he was pissed at his insatiety? But still, Zero had never reacted to him quite so violently before.

'Uh, you said you were going to make breakfast, but you never came back. I woke up on my own and it had already been two hours, so I came to look for you,' remarked Kaname mildly. He chose his words carefully, not wanting to say anything that would make his lover even angrier. Already, he could see Zero's scowl deepening with confusion and disgust and he mentally backtracked, puzzling over what he had said wrong.

The hunter almost scoffed. Breakfast? He had been going to make _breakfas_t for the bloodsucker? Right, like _that_ would _ever_ happen.

Kuran must be playing some kind of game here, surmised Zero. With a start, he remembered how he had unexpectedly passed out. As if he had been drugged. Then, his blood suddenly ran cold. Yuuki. She had been with him when it happened. Dammit, the pureblood must've done something to make him pass out, then took that opportunity to steal her away.

Zero's glared intensified, making the pureblood furrow his brows in confusion.

'Where the hell is Yuuki? What have you done with her, bastard?' he spat, hands automatically drawing Bloody Rose and training it onto the other male when he saw him shaking his head, as if to deny his words.

Kaname's eyes had widened at the mention of Yuuki's name, but the insinuation in Zero's words that he had done something to her instantly brought to the surface old scars and feelings of guilt. _Yuuki on that hospital bed, deadly pale, after he had bitten her. The pain in her eyes, her weak frail body... _Kaname shook his head firmly, chasing away the ghosts of his past. Zero had told him repeatedly that he didn't blame him and it was not his fault. Kaname held onto his lover's past loving words, stopping himself from being buried by his memories. But when he had seen the flash of silver – when had Zero changed into his prefect uniform? And since when did he carry his gun with him to make breakfast? – he froze in shock. This time, he had no way of stopping the memories of the last time Zero had pulled a gun on him. It had been in the Night Dorm library, and the other nobles had been present. Kaname had thought that Zero had attacked him unprovoked, and what he had done to the hunter after that... it was something that would stay with the pureblood forever, no matter how many years passed.

'Zero, why-' started the pureblood.

The ex-human cut him off. Undoing the safety catch of his gun, he rested his finger warningly against the trigger. 'That was not a request, Kuran. Tell me where she is or I swear I'll shoot you where you stand.'

Kaname was bewildered. Zero was acting all sorts of strange today. It was almost as if he had returned to the person he had been before all these had happened. Before Zero had been attacked by Ichiru. Before Kaname had rescued him and then been kidnapped. Before their blood bond. Before Yuuki. Before their whole relationship.

Then he frowned. Had Zero had somehow hurt his head? That would explain why he had been lying on the floor. Amnesia? Was that it?

'Zero, please calm down.'

'Stop calling my name, Kuran. We are not friends,' snarled Zero, taking one step closer to him, gun still threateningly aimed at his heart.

In a way, Zero's words confirmed his suspicions. Somehow Zero seemed to have forgotten everything in the past few years. Thought the pureblood now knew that, his heart still constricted at the cold darkness in those beautiful amethyst eyes. Since a few years ago, those eyes had only ever darkened in passion, never in the hate and disgust that it now did. It was hard to see them now in his sweet, wonderful lover.

Kaname took a step forward, raising his arms with the palms facing Zero, showing that he meant no harm. Regardless, the hunter growled, finger tightening around the gun trigger. The pureblood froze immediately, still maintaining his position.

'Zer-Kiryuu, please hear me out,' he said, in a calm tone that betrayed none of his growing horror and dread. If Zero really had amnesia, he would remember nothing of Yuuki, Cross and... _them_. With a sinking feeling, he realised that it was exactly like how it had been, way before he had saved Zero from Ichiru, before he had been kidnapped by Rido and Ichijou, before he had killed Ichijou, before their first time in the warehouse, before their bond had ever been made.

It had only been after so many painful experiences and suffering that the relationship between them had developed into its current, wonderful stage. Kaname had naively thought that things would only get better from now on. But now, with this, he was at a loss as to what to do. What if Zero never recovered his memories? What if Zero never recovered his love for the pureblood?

Kaname visibly paled. No._ No_. He wouldn't let that happen. Even in the worst case scenario that Zero never did remember, at least they still had their bond. Together with the memory necklace that was permanently hung around the boy's neck - even during their amorous activities, where Zero had been stripped of everything else, Kaname had always insisted that it stayed on, wanting it to record all their memories, _especially_ those of their love-making. Zero had dryly replied that his necklace would be little better than a porno catalogue, what with their frequency of making love, but the tinge of red on his face and thinly-veiled embarrassment in his eyes betrayed his own similar thoughts - would be all the proof he needed to convince his lover that he WAS indeed his lover. It might be difficult, but with Kaname's patience and unwavering love, he _would_ get his lover back. _No matter what or how long it takes_, Kaname swore to himself. And the blood bond and necklace would be the key to everything.

As if to reassure himself, Kaname reached out mentally to brush against Zero's consciousness. Like before, he met with the hunter's shields. But now that he was concentrating fully on it, he realised that something was clearly off. Zero's mind somehow just felt _different_. As closed off as it was, Kaname could still feel the wrongness of it. In a moment of panic, he abandoned his silent vow to never break into the hunter's mind unwanted, quickly slipping past the barriers surrounding his lover's mind. If he hadn't been so blinded by his worry and fear, he would've been appalled at how easily he had managed to get through, with nary an effort, as if Zero had completely forgotten everything Kaname had ever taught him about how to steel his mind during their training sessions. As it was, however, all he cared about was delving into the recesses of his beloved's mind, heedless of the actual penetration itself.

Once Kaname had finally entered his lover's mind, he pulled away almost instantly, staring at the tense boy standing across from him, numb in shock and horror. Despite having beseeched Zero to listen to him, he found his mind completely blank, no words coming to mind.

The silver-haired hunter, on the other hand, did not have quite the same issue. Trembling in anger and shock at the abrupt invasion into his mind, he marched forward to slam the muzzle of his gun hard against the pureblood's chest, directly over his heart. His other hand wrapped around Kaname's throat, squeezing as tightly as he could.

'How dare you, Kuran,' he snarled. 'How dare you force yourself into my mind like that!? Are you tempting me to kill you?'

Kaname felt his windpipe constrict and his lungs heaved painfully for air, trying to force oxygen into his body. However, he was still frozen in horror, unable and unwilling to even gasp or pull himself free. He stared mutely into Zero's eyes, unable to hide the agony lurking within.

He hadn't spent much time within Zero's mind, but a second was all he had needed.

The bond was _gone_.

Completely. Without any trace whatsoever. As if it had never even existed in the first place.

Though a part of his mind was running through all the different possibilities that could've led to the situation at hand - even though he had already known for a long time that there was no destroying a blood bond except in the event of death of one of the two involved -, most of his mind, as well as the entirety of his heart, just was couldn't process the fact that Zero was no longer connected to him. For a long time after Yuuki's death, years ago, Kaname had wished that the bond between them would just disappear into hell, freeing him from having his lifespan irrecovably linked to that of the ex-human's. Though he had never quite realised it then, his survival was fully dependent on whether the boy chose to live or die. Only after Kaname had pulled him out of the blood-soaked water, just barely in the nick of time, had it really hit him. Zero's appalled statement after that, showed that he, too, understood. How intertwined their fates were.

Well. _Had been_.

Kaname exhaled harshly, expelling precious air that his lungs were desperately trying to hold onto. Only when his vision started swimming and head spinning was he brought back to reality, awareness slowly filling him of his compromised position and the fuming hunter in front of him.

Gently wrapping his fingers around the wrist around his throat - a sudden image popped into Kaname's mind, of HIS Zero doing the same thing to his wrist just a few hours ago, but what a stark comparison to the current situation. _No, stop it_, he berated himself_. Don't remember things that will make it worse_ - he easily pulled Zero's hand away from his neck, making sure not to hurt the boy. Inhaling a deep, much-needed breath to clear his head, he closed his eyes, needing a second to compose himself. Impossible as it would be, he needed to calmly assess the situation and decide what was to be done. This was how the pureblood handled everything else in his life; this, too, needed to be handled the same way. But for the brief second his eyes were shut, he allowed pain and tears to pool behind the lids, almost choking on the agony that welled up within his heart at the same time. The next second, he forced those feelings away, along with the unshed tears, and hid everything behind the placid mask with which faced the world. He had never thought he would have to do that with _Zero_, of all people, but this, it had to be done. When his eyelids parted, there was no trace of Kaname's inner turmoil and suffering.

'No, Kiryuu I'm not tempting you at kill me, so please do relax.'

He decided that before he managed to find out what was happening, it would be much simpler to play along with the current Zero, than to try to convince the hot-headed hunter, who would never believe him, of their true relationship. He would be the pureblood the other expected him to be, even if it killed him to treat his lover like an enemy. He had hoped it wouldn't be too hard, considering that this was how he treated most other people, but the pain echoing through his heart even at the mere use of Zero's family name proved him oh so very wrong. He wondered how he had ever managed to treat the hunter this coldly and disingenuously for so many years.

Zero struggled violently, trying to pull his wrist out of the pureblood's unyielding grip. Glancing down at where they were connected, Kaname was unable to resist lightly running his thumb over the hunter's inner wrist, feeling the pulsing vein nestled under the thin pale skin. Then he released his hold, other hand coming up to push the gun away from its very threatening position. This Zero wouldn't realise that he didn't need a gun to hurt Kaname's heart.

Somehow, Zero was no match for Kaname's strength, unable to resist the pureblood's push. He leapt backwards, gun still trained on the other vampire.

'Yuuki, dammit. Where is she!?'

As the pureblood continued to evade his question, Zero's worry escalated. He couldn't even bring himself to do more than feel indignance at having been so easily overcome by the pureblood. He couldn't sense the presence of anyone else here, wherever here was.

'She's fine,' reassured Kaname curtly. His blunt reply was partly because of the guilt of having to lie about someone so dear to both of their hearts, and partly because he knew it was the tone he used to use with the boy, something that Zero wouldn't find unexpected.

The hunter's eyes narrowed. 'I asked _where_ she is, not how she is.'

Kaname lifted an eyebrow, unperturbed - though of course his inner self was anything but -, saying, 'I believe my business with Yuuki is none of your concern.'

Zero gritted his teeth, eyes glimmering with hate and anger. But Kaname was right. Zero HAD indeed come to expect such arrogant responses from the pureblood. He also knew that no matter what, the pureblood would protect Yuuki even at the cost of his own life. So if he was here with him now, instead of with her, then he must be confident that she was in fact safe and sound. Zero would never admit it, of course, but despite his hatred of all vampires, himself included, he had never once doubted Kuran's love and concern for his best friend.

_So why do you keep poking your head into their business, then_? asked a small voice in his head. _They don't need you around. Yuuki doesn't need you around. You're worthless, Kiryuu. All you do is cause trouble for the people around you.'_

Shaking his head to clear his head of such worthless - _just like you, Zero! _-thoughts, Zero addressed the pureblood again.

Kaname saw the unreadable expression flittering across the hunter's features, before he was met with narrowed amethyst eyes again.

'Where is this place?'

Kaname followed the silver-haired boy's actions, letting his eyes sweep over the kitchen. So many memories here, he thought, remembering the food fight between Zero and Aidou that one time; how Zero always muttered under his breath about the pureblood's laziness when the latter had asked for yet another cup of Zero's hand-ground coffee; how embarrassed Zero had looked the first time he cooked a surprise meal for his lover; how Kaname had shown his appreciation to him later on the kitchen counter; how Zero would always turn around when Kaname entered midway while he was cooking, giving him that small beautiful smile, face flushed from the heat, tiny beads of sweat peppered on his forehead and the back of his neck. How could Zero not remember all those beautiful memories replaying in technicolour in Kaname's mind?

Before he did anything that would make things worse, the pureblood composed himself.

'This is the kitchen of a villa I own,' he replied, extra conscious not to use the word 'we'.

'A villa?' Zero's eyes had widened. He had known on some level that the pureblood didn't have to worry about finances, but he had never realised how WEALTHY he was.

Kaname saw Zero's mouth opening, more questions on the tip of his tongue. But before he could ask them, the pureblood quickly posed a question of his own. He needed to find out what had happened.

'Kiryuu, what's the last thing you remember before you passed out?'

The hunter scowled at having been interrupted. But the memories unintentionally slowly came flooding back.

'Night patrol with Yuuki. Then I just blacked out,' he remarked, being as curt as the other had been. An earlier thought resurfaced in his mind. 'You bastard, you drugged me, didn't you?'

Kaname sighed quietly. He had been right about how many years' worth of memory Zero had lost. He had hoped maybe he would've been able to remember what led up to his Zero having lost his memories, an attacker breaking into the house, for example, but it looked like luck was not on his side.

'No, Kiryuu, there's no reason for me to do something like that.'

The hunter furrowed his brows.

'Then what happened?' he asked, more to himself then the other vampire.

Kaname chose to reply anyway, trying to prompt the boy to recall.

'Maybe you were attacked?'

Zero was shaking his head, saying, 'No, I sensed no one else out there other than Yuuki and I.'

Then he looked up at Kaname suspiciously.

'If you found Yuuki, wouldn't she have told you the same thing?'

The pureblood sighed inwardly. Why couldn't the ex-human be less sharp for once? Or at least focus more on himself rather than concentrate so much on Yuuki? But of course, he had always known and appreciated the hunter's dedication to his dear girl's safety and happiness. Years ago, it had been the sole reason that had prompted him to let Zero drink his blood to stop his descent to Level E.

Thinking quickly on his feet, Kaname lied, 'Yuuki came to get me after you fainted, asking me to look after you, because someone might be after your life. She was too worried and panicky to tell me much. After I made sure she was safely with Cross, I brought you here, as per her request. This villa is in a secluded area and fiercely guarded, so it's the best place I could think of. '

There, thought the pureblood. That lengthy explanation should cover everything. Zero would finally have nothing more to ask, and let _him_ do the questioning from now.

Of course, as usual, the hunter proved him wrong.

'What's in it for you? Why not send one of your underlings here? Why are _you_ here personally?'

Mistrust clearly showed in his eyes and tone.

The brunette ran a frustrated hand through his hair, just barely holding back a groan.

'It was what Yuuki wanted,' he replied, a trace if annoyance in his tone. He felt horribly guilty at having to feed his lie using Yuuki, but knew she was the only reason this Zero would accept for any of the strange circumstances he now found himself in.

Luckily for him, Zero misinterpreted the annoyance in his tone as being caused by have been forced to watch over him, something he was sure the pureblood hated more than anything. Reluctantly, he lowered the gun that was still pointed at the other vampire, clicking on the safety and shoving it into the waistband of his pants. Despite his terse nod of understanding, he kept a hand over the weapon, showing that he was ready to draw and fire at any time.

Relief washed over Kaname when Zero finally, _finally_, accepted his explanation and decided to put the damned gun away.

* * *

Alright! That's it. I really hope they weren't OOC much. I really wanted to keep to their personalities. Also, please forgive any grammatical and spelling mistakes. At this point in time, I don't know when I'm going to post another chapter, or if inspiration will dry up and leave me, and this fic hanging (I REALLY REALLY hope not though). Tell me what you think about this fic and whether it's worth continuing! :) Thank you for taking the time to give this newbie's fic a chance! *bows again*


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I didn't think I'd be posting another chapter so soon, but this seemed like a good point to stop, so here's chapter 2! :) Enjoy and please review :)

To the guest reviewer on the previous chapter: Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! It really cheered me up and gave me the motivation to continue working on this! I shall try hard to live up to your expectations haha ;)

**Disclaimer: **Credits to **Matsuri Hino, Blackened Wing **and** TammyTBoneTTB!**

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PAST

'Zero? Are you okay? Wake up!'

A shrill, high-pitched voice pierced through Zero's hearing and cut sharply across his mind, causing pain to shoot behind his closed eyelids.

'Mnngh, too loud...,' he groaned, scrunching up his eyes, hoping the discomfort would pass quickly. Kaname must've fallen asleep with the television on again. You would think that with the ability to manipulate air itself, he would be able to at least flip the power switch before he dozed off. _Apparently not, _he thought wryly, as his headache gradually lessened and his mind started to clear. As he started to fully awaken, his senses began throwing information about his surroundings at him. He appeared to be lying on a patch of grass, head pillowed against something warm and soft. Mmn, he smiled, nuzzling his face against the warmth. Kaname's thighs? He must've gotten more lax in his training if his thighs had become THAT soft.

In the next second, he heard a familiar squeal coming from somewhere above him, right at the moment feedback from his nose reached his brain's olfactory processing centres. Zero immediately stiffened.

It couldn't be...

Eyes snapping open, the hunter's urgent gaze locked onto the face of the person whose lap he was lying on.

'Yuu...ki?'

The brunette girl smiled down at him, a mix of worry and relief evident in her bright eyes.

'Mou, Zero, I was so worried when you suddenly keeled over. How are you feeling? Do you need to go to the infirmary?'

She lifted a hand and placed it gently on the hunter's forehead, trying to gauge if he had a fever.

Still dazed, all Zero could do was to stare up blankly at her. Yuuki. The woman who held a spot in his heart that no one would ever be able to replace or erase. The feel of her warm palm against his cool skin felt immensely comforting and familiar. She had always been next to him, especially when he was ill, diligently and painstaking looking after his bedridden self, even sacrificing her sleep to monitor him throughout the night.

'Yuuki,' he whispered again. It had been so long since he had last been able to call her name without knowing there would be no reply.

She cocked her head to one side, worry obviously growing as she frowned down at him.

'I'm right here, Zero. Are you alright?'

The ex-human raised a hand to capture her hand in his, observing it even as his fingers lightly caressed her palm and fingers, tracing the creases in the skin. It felt so very warm and full of life... for a dream hand.

For a dream it must be, if Yuuki were here with him again. A gentle, wistful smile spread across his face, and his eyes fluttered shut, hand still lovingly holding onto Yuuki's. If only he could remain in this instant forever...

'I'm fine, Yuuki. Now that you're here,' he replied truthfully, without opening his eyes.

He could almost hear the blood rushing to her cheeks as she flushed and sputtered.

'Mou, Zero! I was really worried, you know,' she puffed, using her free hand to not-so-lightly smack his forehead.

'Mmm,' hummed Zero. He was loathe to open his eyes, knowing that the dream would end soon. He wanted to stay this way just a little longer, feeling Yuuki's soft skin, inhaling her delicious scent, drinking up the sound of her voice.

'Huh Zero, weren't you in your uniform? Or am I remembering wrong? And where did you get this beautiful necklace from?'

The questions were so unexpected that Zero opened his eyes instantly. Yuuki's free hand was now tracing the shape of his memory necklace as she admired it with bright eyes. How weird, he thought, that Kaname's necklace would turn up in his dream. Not unexpected though, he guessed, since it was now a permanent part of him. As he recalled Yuuki's first question, he glanced down at himself. He was dressed in a light grey tee and black jeans. In a flash, he remembered how he had put them on after his shower, when he had been going to prepare some breakfast for Kaname and himself after their rather... energy-expending activity. _How did I end up falling asleep?_ The last thing he remembered was closing the bedroom door behind him, having kissed his lover goodbye. Had he been more exhausted than he had realised?

'Zero?'

Yuuki's voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. Well, whatever, he thought, smiling up at her, as long as it had led to the beautiful vision before him.

'It was a present. From someone very dear to me.' Warmth crept into his eyes as he waited for her satisfied and delighted smile. He knew dream Yuuki would instantly understand and embrace his words.

But instead, she raised an eyebrow in puzzlement, asking, 'Someone dear to you? Who? I can't think of anyone beside Headmaster and me. I didn't give you that. And it couldn't be the headmaster, because I'm sure he would've mentioned it...'

Then her eyes widened and pink tinged her cheeks.

'Oh, Zero! Do you have a... a girlfriend?'

Dream Yuuki was weird, surmised Zero. She should've known immediately who he was talking about, but here she was, all clueless. Was this a dream set in the past, then? Before the three of them had settled into their three-way relationship?

_Makes sense_, concluded Zero, finally noticing Yuuki in her prefect's uniform, and how they were in the school campus in the middle of the night, as if they had been on their night patrol. It would've made more sense if he, too, were dressed in his uniform, without his necklace, but he supposed dreams weren't _meant_ to make sense. Reluctantly, Zero lifted himself off Yuuki's lap and gingerly stood up. The girl had released his necklace as he had moved, following him up. Her gaze remained fixed on the intricately-designed pendant.

Zero smiled down at her, knowing she was still waiting on his answer.

'Kaname gave it to me on our first date,' he teased lightly with a playful smirk, waiting to see dream Yuuki's reaction. There was no harm in telling the truth anyway, since this was all in his head. What should it matter if he told a figment of his imagination the secret that he and Kaname had been hiding from the rest of the world? 'It's a memory necklace that his father gave to his mother.'

Her response was even better than he had expected. Her jaw dropped and her eyes were wide as saucers.

'_Kaname_? _Date_? Wha- uh- huh?' She appeared so shocked by Zero's words that for a second, she couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

Thoroughly relishing the sight of Yuuki's bewilderment, Zero chuckled. And found that he could not stop. The amused chuckle soon developed into a soft laugh. A real laugh, one that had him doubling over, clutching his sides, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. Maybe he was slightly batty, having such a strong reaction to something that used to be an everyday occurrence to him. But that was exactly it. Seeing Yuuki and all her adorable expressions and actions used to be just a normal part of his daily routine while he was still a prefect at school. He had never really appreciated them, having taken it for granted that he would continue to see them for the rest of the short life he had left, before he fell to Level E and had to be taken out – he had never once doubted that he would one day descend into that madness – by, he had hoped, Yuuki or Yagari, or even Kaname, before he could hurt anyone. He had never expected that Yuuki would leave this world even before he did. And now, only in dreams could he once again witness the beautiful vision that Yuuki made.

After getting over the initial surprise at hearing Zero's hearty laugh, dream Yuuki's expression softened and she couldn't help smiling as well.

'Zero... my heart stopped for a few seconds. Don't say such outrageous things or I'll get a heart attack one day!'

The hunter knew she had misinterpreted his statement as simply a joke, but he didn't bother to correct her. Why waste precious seconds of the dream quibbling over such details, when he could just enjoy her company?

He turned to face her, a slight grin still lingering on his face.

'Well then, should we continue with our patrol?'

Yuuki gaped at his proffered hand, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. The hunter stifled a laugh, knowing that this Yuuki had never been asked by him to hold hands before. Her eyes flickered from his hand to meet his amused yet sincere gaze, then back to the waiting hand. Flush deepening, she hastily put her hand in his, turning her face away. Even in the darkness, Zero could still see that her face was beetroot. Slowly and deliberately, he linked their fingers, then letting their clasped hands fall comfortably between them. Yuuki gasped softly, turning to him in surprise, then quickly kept her face hidden behind her hair.

'Y-yeah, let's go...' she mumbled faintly.

Zero's grin widened at her shy, uncertain tone. Giving her hand a small squeeze, he started walking again, her following slightly behind. They strolled leisurely in silence, Zero focussed completely on the girl by his side. He was conscious of her every movement: every falter in her step; every flick of her hair; every turn of her head. While Yuuki spent most of the time glancing around her, keeping a lookout as they were _supposed_ to be doing, all the while studiously avoiding looking in Zero's direction, the male spent that time observing her from the corner of his eye.

He was so occupied that it took _way_ longer than it should've to sense the vampire presence that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

'Kaname-senpai!'

Yuuki exclaimed excitedly, making her way over to where the pureblood stood, not noticing that she was dragging a suddenly very obedient Zero along behind her.

'Good evening, Yuuki. Out on patrol?'

The girl nodded in assent. 'What about you, Kaname-senpai? Why are you out here?'

'I was on a walk when I heard your voice, Yuuki, so I thought I'd come over.'

Despite his calm, gentle voice, the pureblood's gaze was locked on their linked hands as he spoke. Still caught up in her surprise and delight in seeing Kaname, it took Yuuki a few seconds before she realised. With a mortified blush, she let go of Zero's hands like it was on fire, heart pounding wildly. What if Kaname misunderstood? She couldn't let him think there was something going on between Zero and her!

'A-ah, Kaname-senpai! My hand was...cold, so Zero offered to w-warm it up for me,' she stammered. Even as she spoke the words she knew how lame and made-up they sounded, but she couldn't very well take them back now. She cringed inwardly, hoping that the pureblood would let it pass.

Thankfully, after giving her an amused smile, he let the matter drop. Switching to a different topic, he soon had her blushing and excitedly rambling on about arbitrary topics.

The two of them were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't notice how the silver-haired hunter was uncharacteristically silent. In fact, they had pretty much forgotten that he was even still there. Zero didn't mind at all, in fact, he preferred it that way, because it meant that he could watch the younger version of his lover unseen. Back in his school days, Zero had never spared the pureblood a glance more than he had needed to, so he had never truly taken in the other's appearance. His deep, enchanting dark eyes; the way his hair fell in soft wisps around his slender neck; his perfect, pale skin. Zero had had years to memorise all the features of his lover, but having the actual thing before his eyes again took his breath away. Physically, his Kaname hadn't changed much from this one. The years certainly had no visible impact on his body. However, what was beneath the exterior had changed drastically. Though the eyes of this Kaname held a crueller and more calculating glint, they hid less dark memories and suffering than his beloved's did. It was only to be expected, especially since certain memories were still locked up, and certain experiences had not yet come to pass. Zero almost wished his lover could forget those memories and experiences again, if it would lessen some of the weariness behind his eyes. But no, if not for those experiences, they would never have gotten to where they were. They were what had made Kuran Kaname, pureblood, into _Kaname_, and he loved every bit of his lover, no matter how bad.

'...What?'

As Yuuki and Kaname had been conversing – though actually it was just Yuuki rambling on, with the pureblood prompting and responding at appropriate junctures – his tone had been gentle and soft, a tinge of amusement and interest evident in both his voice and expression. But the last word had been muttered in an abrupt, sharp tone, which had Yuuki flinching visibly, and Zero snapping out of his reverie.

The hunter realised that though Yuuki was staring at the pureblood in shock, Kaname's eyes were piercing right into his, an inscrutable expression in his eyes. Though it wasn't a very friendly look, nothing like the ones he was used to seeing on that face, Zero could not bring himself to tear his gaze away from the other's.

'K-kaname-senpai? What's wrong?'

Worry was etched in Yuuki's face as she eyed the vampire before her. She didn't understand the sudden shift in his manner. Her words hadn't been anything that would've caused this, right? She racked her memory, trying to recall what she had been saying right before this happened. Though it had been only seconds ago, it didn't come to mind immediately. Whenever it came to Kaname-senpai, her mouth would just start shooting off like a bullet train, with her mind trying to catch up as she rambled on. It took a moment for her mind to process what her mouth had just said.

'Ah,' she gulped, remembering what it was. Her face reddened in embarrassment. _You're a huge idiot, Yuuki_, she berated herself, wishing a hole would open up and swallow her whole. _How could you tell Kaname-senpai the joke that Zero told you, even if you were nervous as hell?_

'Kaname-senpai, it was just a joke, please pay it no mind!'

The girl's words went unheeded, as Kaname spied the bulge underneath Zero tee, directly over his heart. What Yuuki had said had made him freeze for a second. The memory necklace, surely no one knew about it except his parents, him, and whoever it was that had attacked them? There was no way Yuuki could've known about it, unless someone had told her. And she was saying it was the hunter who had told her. How Zero could ever have learnt of such a thing, as well as come to possess it, he didn't know, but he would find out.

Stalking forward, he stopped directly in front of Zero. Quick as a flash, his hand shot out, wanting to pull out the necklace by its leather cord. He had expected the boy to fight him, but to his surprise, the latter just remained motionless, letting him do as he pleased, all the while staring right into his eyes with that weird expression on his face. If Kaname didn't know better, he would've said that looked almost like... _tenderness_. Pushing the ludicrous thought out of his mind, he concentrated on his task, fingers hooking around the cord and swiftly sliding the pendant out from under the other vampire's tee. Once it was in his palm, stone glittering under the pale, soft moonlight streaming in between the trees, his eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat.

It really was his mother's necklace.

Even though the stone's setting had been changed, as well as the chain, he would still recognise it anywhere. For most of his childhood, he had observed and played with it while it hung around his mother's neck, admiring the feel of the polished stone and how it reflected light off every edge.

Kaname's eyes narrowed and he turned the full force of his icy glare right into the face of the hunter before him.

'How did you get this, Kiryuu?'

Zero's heartbeat had quickened the second the pureblood had looked his way and started walking towards him. With much effort, he had forced it to slow to its normal rhythm, not wanting either of his companions to realise it. When Kaname's fingers had brushed against his neck, he had almost wanted to grab the hand and hold onto it, instead of staying still. _This was his dream, for God's sakes_, muttered a disgruntled voice in his head. _Why should _he have to pretend not to love his lover?

But it didn't feel right to Zero. It was like everything was back where it was years ago, with Yuuki by his side, and Kaname by hers. Yuuki was her usual sweet, clueless self, while the pureblood still regarded him with cool contempt. It didn't seem fitting to suddenly proclaim that the two of them were, in fact, lovers, and no longer enemies. Or, perhaps, maybe he was afraid that not acting his part would have the dream ending much too soon, hence reducing his time with Yuuki. Whatever _it_ was, anyway, it had him remaining still and silent as the pureblood examined the necklace.

But it didn't mean he would lie to him.

Without any hesitation at all, Zero answered the pureblood's question truthfully.

'From you.'

As expected, an incredulous expression took over the pureblood's face. The hunter recognised the cold anger that was slowly creeping into the brunette, having witnessed the signs countless times over the past few years. But never had it been directed towards him, as it was now.

'Speak the truth, Kiryuu,' commanded the pureblood, masking his surging emotions behind his normal placid facade.

Zero could feel Yuuki starting to shiver as the temperature around them dropped a few degrees, courtesy of the pureblood's growing anger and frustration. But he didn't budge. He wouldn't lie.

'I did,' he said simply.

Though the brunette's expression did not change, the temperature dropped even lower. His aura started to grow, building up the pressure in the area surrounding them. It was like being pushed against on all sides by invisible hands, and Zero's mind started to get sucked in, just like any vampire's would have. But, like he had before, he managed to pull away from the swirling vortex that was Kaname's emotions. Then, it had been about Yuuki. Now, it was about his parents. Zero was beginning to realise that when it came to the people he loved, his Kaname could very easily get swept up by his emotions and lose himself. Apparently younger Kaname was the same. He didn't even seem to be realising that Yuuki, the most important person in the world to him, had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, eyes screwed shut, as she tried to steel herself against what he was unconsciously doing. His hand was clenched around the pendant, eyes staring accusingly into Zero's.

'K-kaname-senpai...,' Yuuki called, only barely managing to whimper the words. 'Hard...to breathe...'

With a jolt, Kaname realised how his influence was affecting her, and the oppressive atmosphere dissipated instantly. Yuuki heaved a soft sigh of relief and fell into a sitting position on the grass as her shaky legs gave out. In a flash, Kaname was crouching by her side, worry and contrition in his eyes.

'Yuuki, I'm so sorry. Are you alright?'

The girl looked up into his eyes. She couldn't see any of the coldness that had been there before. _Thank God_, she thought. She would never in a million years have admitted it, but that Kaname-senpai had frightened her. She had never seen that side of him before, and she hoped she would never have to ever again.

'I'm okay, Kaname-senpai,' she reassured, hand gently patting the hand her had placed lightly on her shoulder. 'It's okay.'

Relief flashed on his face, even as disgust at himself for hurting her welled up within him.

But then, he realised, it hadn't been solely his fault. Someone had caused him to react that way, to end up hurting Yuuki. Someone who had continued to lie to his face about something so precious and personal.

It was _his _fault.

_Zero_'s fault.

Before either the hunter or the girl had realised it, Kaname had thrown himself into Zero, slamming the boy onto his back on the ground. Yuuki gasped as she saw Kaname crouching over her best friend, hand once against wrapped around the pendant around his neck. _Just as she had thought she never wanted to see that side of him again..._

Zero blinked, head spinning slightly from the rapid change in position and from where it had collided with the ground. When he glanced up, he was captured by yet another cold glance from the pureblood above him. Before he could say anything or shove the other vampire off him, Kaname had roughly jerked the pendant away from Zero's neck, causing the leather cord to snap. The next second, he was back at Yuuki's side, stone clenched in his fist.

The hunter growled, jumping to his feet. How dare he? That necklace was _his, _given to him by _his_ lover, linked to _his_ blood, and containing _his_ memories. _This_ Kaname had no business taking it from him.

At the same time, a little voice inside his head was wondering why, despite the pain to his head, he had not yet woken up. Wasn't that how it worked? Once you experienced physical pain in a dream, weren't you supposed to wake up?

Despite being able to see Yuuki here, Zero _almost_ wished he would just wake up from this dream. Having the pureblood as cold and violent as he was right now was apparently something he could no longer bear to watch, after years of receiving his whole-hearted love and affection. _What a pathetic, soft idiot you've become_, thought Zero sardonically.

Kaname's attention was back on the stone, not realising how Yuuki was staring at him in shock and confusion, and how Zero was glaring at him with frustration and bitterness.

'Give it back,' the silver-haired boy spat, starting to make his way over.

Ignoring him, and using his vampire speed to appear a few feet to the side of where he had been previously, Kaname asked quietly, 'Were you the one who changed the setting and the chain?'

Zero gritted his teeth in anger. Every time it seemed like he was going to be able to just reach out and grab the necklace, the pureblood disappeared, appearing somewhere else instead. Even when he tried to use his vampire speed, it was still slightly lagged and he could not match the other's movements, let alone catch up to him.

'I told you. It was you.' Zero replied intentionally, knowing it would frustrate the other vampire, and hoping it would distract him enough for Zero to get his necklace back.

But Kaname was not fooled. He stared down at the stone, as if he hadn't heard Zero words, seemingly lost in past memories. He never faltered in his disappearing-reappearing act though, making Zero curse violently as he continued trying to get to the pureblood. Yuuki's vision blurred from trying to follow their vampire speed and she rubbed her eyes in agitation, trying to understand why the pureblood was acting so unlike himself. The necklace held a special meaning to him, she had figured out that much. And he seemed to have the impression that Zero had been involved in altering and acquiring it somehow. Like a thief. Zero's answers were definitely not helping his case.

'Yuuki.'

The girl started as the pureblood was once again next to her, gazing down at her with a gentle but clearly distracted look. His clenched fist tightened.

'I have some business to attend to for now. Please excuse me. Good night.'

Before she could respond, he had disappeared. Totally.

In his place now stood Zero, an irritated and livid scowl on his face.

'That bastard. How dare he take what is mine!? I'm going to give him hell for this.'

The boy turned, about to chase after the pureblood once again. Quickly Yuuki wrapped her arms around his middle tightly, holding him back. She knew that if the two of them met alone, they would fight. And it wouldn't be pretty. She might even lose one of them. She couldn't let that happen.

'Zero, please! Don't go after him! I'll help you get it back, I promise!'

She groaned inwardly once she realised what she had just said. There she went again, running her mouth making promises she had no way of keeping. Apparently Zero knew that too, from the doubt and distrust on his face that he made no effort to hide.

But he sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair, before flopping down on the grass next to Yuuki. Just a dream, right? It didn't matter what happened; he would wake up with it around his neck as always anyway. He was an idiot for getting so excited over young, dream Kaname.

Just a dream...

...right?


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! New chapter YAAAY :D Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed! Every one of them means a lot :) Replies to the reviews are at the end of the chapter! For now, please do enjoy this chapter, and review! They really make me smile, and inspire me to continue :)

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing**, and **TammyTBoneTTB**!

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PRESENT

Kaname leaned back against the couch on which he was seated, taking another sip of tea. He grimaced as the bitter taste hit his tongue. Why was it so bitter?

Oh, right.

He had forgotten to add the sugar.

Kaname sighed inwardly as he replaced the cup and saucer on the coffee table. He had _never_ had to make his own tea. All his life he had had servants to prepare whatever he needed, and even after moving here, Zero had always been the one to take care of him when it came to things like this.

Not that he couldn't do simple things like making tea. It was just a matter of boiling water and immersing a tea bag into it, after all.

Except that he had forgotten to add the sugar. Damn.

Shifting himself into a more comfortable position, the pureblood casually turned his head to the side. The figure against the wall still hadn't moved from his position. Zero had refused both his invitations to make himself comfortable on the couch, and to have a cup of tea. Well, it turned out to be a good thing that the other had rejected the tea. Kaname didn't have to think very hard to imagine what would have been the hunter's response to a cup of sugarless, black tea. He was fully aware that his lover didn't like sweet things, but he always took his tea with lots of sugar. It was a mystery that Kaname had never been able to wrap his head around.

Zero had chosen to slouch against the wall, hands shoved into his pockets. An all-too-familiar scowl was pasted on his face, eyebrows creased as he tried to figure out who could be possibly after his life. It wasn't like his life was worth anything. It was only a matter of time before he fell to Level E, after all. His attackers just had to wait a few years at the most, before his life as he knew it would be over, and he would have to be put down.

Kaname noticed that expression crossing over the hunter's eyes again and his brows furrowed. It was the second time he had seen it within the past half hour. What could the boy be thinking of that made him look so forlorn? Despite his ever-present glare, within his eyes lurked such loneliness and pain that it made him want to wrap his arms tightly around the boy and never let go. But he wouldn't, of course, not to _this_ Zero. He settled for asking a question to distract him instead.

'Kiryuu, do you remember when you put on your uniform?'

Honestly, that had been bothering the pureblood ever since he had found Zero unconscious on the kitchen floor, dressed in something other than what he had last seen his lover leaving his room in. It was only when the hunter had been standing in front of him that he had recognised that black ensemble as the Cross Academy Day Class uniform. After they had both decided to remain in their villa instead of returning back to school, he had accompanied Zero on the trip back to his dorm room to retrieve his belongings. He had definitely seen the ex-human skip over the worn and dusty uniforms in his closet, deciding that there was no point in keeping them around, seeing as he had already graduated years ago. So how was it that he was now dressed in said uniform? There was no reason for him to have gone back to get them, if they even were still there at all.

Zero looked at him like he had lost his mind.

'I dress like this every day, Kuran,' he said impatiently. 'It's called a school uniform for a reason.'

'Ah. Right,' nodded Kaname quietly. Seemed like this Zero had really lost all his memories leading up to the present. Though he had already come to that conclusion himself, it didn't stop his heart from constricting painfully again. There was so much to be done to get back to where they were.

Uncomfortable silence descended over them again. Zero shifted his weight, letting his gaze scan the room. It was way too big for a living room, yet kept simple and comfortable, littered only with plush armchairs, a huge couch, and a plasma television plastered on the wall. This was probably designed to be a place to entertain casual guests, seeing as how there was a chessboard on the coffee table, and more chairs than one person needed. The hunter scoffed at the thought of the pureblood having _friends_ over. Did he even have any? _Not that you have many either_, chirped a small voice in his head. Zero scowled at nothing in particular, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets.

Kaname wondered at the sudden glower on the prefect's face. The silence in the room was so thick that it probably would've been difficult to cut with a knife. He cleared his throat softly, causing the hunter to turn his glare onto him.

'What?'

The pureblood's expression remained placid. 'I was just wondering if you would like to have the television on.'

Zero's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Since when had Kuran Kaname ever wondered about what_he_ wanted? For that matter, since when would Kuran Kaname have ever offered to _personally_ make him tea? Was the other vampire high or something?

But then he realised that Yuuki had probably asked him to make sure he was well-looked after. _As if he needed to be looked after by a blood-sucker_! His scowl deepened, but he gave the pureblood an indifferent shrug. What could he lose by having the television on? It wouldn't make the situation any better, but heck, it couldn't make it any worse either.

'Whatever.'

The brunette nodded imperceptibly and turned back in front of him. Without any warning, the screen flickered on, making Zero jump. When he noticed the pureblood's lips twitching at his reaction, he realised that Kuran had just used his powers to switch on the television. He cursed inwardly at his own jumpiness, slouching lower against the wall. The volume had been turned low, but he didn't have to strain his eyes to hear the newscaster's monotonous voice. Vampire hearing did have its benefits. As the woman on-screen continued giving a summary of what was currently happening in the world, he let his mind wander, still trying to recall if anything had happened to make him the target of such an attack.

Kaname picked up his cup and saucer before getting to his feet. The sudden motion had Zero's senses prickling, but he remained motionless as the pureblood made his way toward the kitchen, presumably to throw away the tea that he had made. More at ease now that the other vampire was out of the room, Zero relaxed his posture slightly, letting his head rest against the wall, eyes glazing over as he got lost in his thoughts.

When the sound of his name being spoken infiltrated his mind, he lifted his head, glancing in the direction of the kitchen. But the pureblood was out of sight, sounds of water running and china clinking echoing around the walls, signalling that he was probably still washing up. So if it wasn't the pureblood...

Zero turned his attention to the television. His eyes widened when a picture appeared behind the suddenly-excited newscaster. It showed Kaname with a casual arm around the shoulders of the figure next to him. Both were dressed in casual clothing and walking out of a Happy Burger outlet. Even though the picture was grainy and had been taken at night, the other person was unmistakably _him_. His suspicions were confirmed by the woman's next words.

'Last night, Kuran Kaname was spotted leaving the premises of a burger joint with his protégé, Kiryuu Zero. Our reporter, Satoshi Maki, reports that they entered at around 9pm, ordering a set meal each, before leaving halfway through their meal at about 9.30pm. Both left together in Kuran-sama's car, presumably to return to the villa they share. Isn't it a surprise that someone who could probably afford to dine at five-star restaurants at every meal, chose instead to visit such a humble esta-'

Just as suddenly as it had been switched on, the television screen turned black. Zero had been watching in such horror that he hadn't even realised that the pureblood was now standing in the doorway, looking at him with an inscrutable expression.

'What the hell was that, Kuran?' growled the hunter, mind reeling from what he just heard. Since when had he become the pureblood's protégé? And in what universe would he share a house with said pureblood? Not forgetting the fact that last night at 9pm, he had been out on patrol with Yuuki, as always. What rubbish had that woman been spouting? Was that a photo-shopped picture? But how on earth would she, or anyone, really, had even known about an ex-human like him?

All the unanswered questions churned around in his mind, building his anger and frustration. And he directed all of that in a withering, fiery glare at the pureblood standing before him, who had not the slightest trace of disbelief or irritation on his face from hearing the same news report he had.

Kaname had finally finished washing up the cup - not without chipping off a tiny bit of the handle which he hoped his Zero wouldn't notice and give him hell for – only to return to the living room to see Zero staring in incredulity and revulsion at the picture on-screen. He had almost turned the television off there and then, but had hoped that maybe hearing about their date last night would bring back Zero's memories. But the horror on the boy's face had not changed, and it had been with resignation in his sinking heart that he had switched it off.

How should he handle this? Should he lie about it? The photograph had not been of the best quality, but surely Zero had recognised himself in it. So should he tell him the truth?

'Zero...,' he began, forgetting to use the boy's family name instead.

But then he stopped short. A familiar presence was now making his way towards the living room.

This was bad. He hadn't expected Yagari to return from his mission so soon. Hadn't it been supposed to last a few more days? The current situation was confusing and frustrating enough without the older hunter around making things worse.

But it was too late. Zero had sensed the other hunter's presence too, as well as the scent of his ever-present cigarette. Eyes widening in surprise, earlier question forgotten for the moment, he crossed the room in a few long strides, reaching the doorway just as his sensei entered the room.

If Yagari had been surprised to find his way suddenly blocked by his student, he gave no outward indication. With a nod at the pureblood, he raised the hand that was not holding his duffel bag and ruffled the silver hair playfully.

'Yo, kiddo. The mission this time was easier than expected, so I'm back early.'

Surprise had Zero frowning when he saw the nod directed at the pureblood. Since when were they on good terms? He remembered how Yagari-sensei always ignored the vampires, and was always on high alert when around them. Yet here he was, relaxed and calm, as if totally comfortable with Kuran's presence. But he quickly lost that train of thought once the older man ruffled his hair. He hadn't been that affectionate with him since he was a kid. Even though Yagari had been the one to let him live, he had always kept been slightly wary around him, as if waiting to see him fall to Level E. Though he didn't understand the change in his sensei's attitude, a warm feeling spread through him, and the ghost of a smile adorned his lips. Maybe his master finally trusted him.

Kaname saw Zero's reaction to both Yagari's nod and his affection. His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the younger boy's obvious pleasure at being treated so kindly by his sensei. _Are you jealous?_ asked a smug little voice.

_Yes, I am_, he answered shamelessly. Now that _he_ couldn't do that, he didn't like the fact that the older hunter could.

'Yagari, can I have a minute with you?'

The older hunter glanced up from his unusually docile student. 'What?'

Kaname pressed his lips together in a grim line. 'In the kitchen.'

Zero realised that the pureblood was asking to be alone with his sensei. Why? Was it about what was happening with him?

Rubbing his nose absentmindedly, a puzzled yet intrigued look on his face, Yagari nodded and made his way into the room. As he passed the couch, he threw his duffel bag down onto it roughly, smirking slightly at the irritated twitch of the pureblood's eyebrow.

Zero remained where he was, watching the two of them go. He hadn't thought that his sensei would ever have agreed to be alone with a pureblood, but supposed he had come all the way out here to speak with Kuran anyway, so it was not a huge surprise. He wanted to know what the hell the pureblood had to say to his teacher, but the shrewd vampire had closed the door behind them and was speaking too quietly for even his vampire ears to pick up. Any motion to approach the closed door would not go unnoticed by either of the two occupants in the kitchen. There was nothing for it then. He sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. As he did, his glance fell over the hallway outside the living room. Since he had nothing to do, he might as well explore the place, to scope out his surroundings. Once the two were done, he would definitely make the pureblood answer his earlier question about that news report.

* * *

'What? Are you joking with me, boy?'

Kaname shot the hunter a withering look. As if he would joke about something as serious as this to him, of all people.

Of course Yagari had not really thought that the pureblood had been kidding. It was just that the situation was too ludicrous to imagine. Zero losing his memories? Just like that? If it were true, then...

'He doesn't remember anything at all about what's happened all these years? About Yuuki, Kaien... even you?'

The grim vampire gave a single shake of his head. The hunter rubbed a hand against his face tiredly. He had just come home from flushing out a den of Es, he had thought he would be able to get a nice hot shower and a good night's rest, but then _this_ had to happen.

'And you have no idea what happened?'

'Like I said, I was sleeping. And I sensed nothing. No alarms or charms went off either.'

Kaname couldn't help the tinge of irritation that crept into his tone. It wasn't Yagari's fault, and he was probably exhausted from his mission, but the pureblood's emotions were all over the place and he was having difficulty trying to maintain a calm demeanour. With great effort, he forced down his surging emotions, summoning a neutral expression.

The older hunter's eyebrow rose at the other's tone, but said nothing about it. He took a draw of his cigarette, then exhaled slowly, filling the kitchen with the smoke. Kaname's sensitive nose and eyes tingled, but he resolutely remained silent, maintain his cool stare on the hunter.

Yagari was considering the situation. Though it was a troublesome one, hopefully Zero would be able to recover his memories with time. With modern medicine, as well as the pureblood's infinitely deep pockets, surely that wouldn't take too much time and effort? Yet the boy in front of him was visibly agitated. Was there something else? A thought suddenly came to mind.

'Don't you two have a bond? Can't you use it somehow?'

He recognised that something was wrong the instant the vampire stiffened. Even before the boy said the words, he knew.

Kaname swallowed hard, trying unsuccessfully to dislodge the lump in his throat. 'The bond... it's gone. I don't know how or why, but it's gone.'

He didn't know if telling the hunter the truth was the best idea, but for the first time in a long while, he was totally at a loss about what to do, and he could do with some advice. When he had researched about blood bonds all those years ago, he had concentrated mainly on vampire history. Maybe the experienced hunter would be able to tell him about a secret, hunter method to break such bonds without a death. And over the years, he had slowly learnt that though he had no qualms about using his gun on vampires, Yagari also had a good heart hidden away beneath that gruff exterior. A heart that had helped not just Zero, but also him – though he would never admit it – on numerous occasions.

Finally, Yagari understood the reason for the pureblood's uneasiness and distress. If it had just been a loss of memories, perhaps it would not have been that bad, but for their blood bond to have disappeared... He had never heard of a technique to break blood bonds in such a manner, and he told the pureblood as much, not missing how the latter's face darkened considerably. So that meant the vampire had no clue either.

The hunter chewed on his cigarette, thinking heard. This was a situation totally new to both Kuran and him. They needed to research on what exactly had been done to his student, who had done it, and _why_. Meanwhile, Kuran would just have to control his... urges... for a while. He almost smirked at the thought. Though Yagari still held the same respected place in Zero's heart, the pureblood had been lowered from the position of a lover, to that of an enemy, within the span of just a few hours. It must have been a tough pill to swallow.

'I'll do some research tomorrow, and call in favours from some friends. For now, just try not to let him find anything out, okay? Knowing my idiot student, he'll get into a temper and storm off.'

Kaname nodded, letting his gratitude show in his face. He walked over to the kitchen door and opened it, looking expectantly at the hunter.

Yagari's lips parted in shock. Had the pureblood just opened a door for him? This situation with Zero must really be eating him up if he had started being nice to him. Deciding not to say anything except to nod his thanks, he made his way into the now-empty living room, grabbing his bag from where he had dumped it. Just before leaving, he paused at the doorway, casting a glance over his shoulder at the pureblood, who was still standing in the kitchen, a shadow crossing behind his eyes now that he thought no one was looking.

'Kuran,' called the hunter gruffly. When the vampire looked up sharply, quickly trying to call upon his placid mask, his tone and gaze softened at the poorly-masked anguish behind the boy's eyes.

He couldn't believe he was trying to reassure the pureblood, but he just couldn't ignore the downcast demeanour that the boy was presenting. He had never seen the pureblood ever look so unsure and affected, and was sure that only Zero could do that to him. Their Zero would definitely not want him to just walk out of that room without another words.

In a confident, no-nonsense voice, he said, 'We'll get Zero back.'

And he truly believed they would. Somehow.

Kaname blinked. Was that concern in the hunter's eyes? How laughable, he thought, that he, a pureblood, had appeared pathetic enough to need to be reassured by a _hunter_.

All the same, he appreciated the other's words, especially since it was coming from someone who valued Zero as much as he did. Giving another nod of thanks, he swiftly left the room, in search of his missing lover.

* * *

Zero had finished exploring the ground floor of the house. Every room was excessively huge, yet was not overly adorned with expensive furniture and accessories as he had expected a home of a pureblood to be. He found himself almost liking the place, since the things he saw were things he knew he himself would've picked out. He grimaced at the implication that he and said pureblood must have similar taste. Who would've thought?

He made his way quietly up the stairs, hand sliding up the smooth wooden banister. Almost unconsciously, he turned his head to throw a glance over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. Should he really be invading the pureblood's privacy by roaming his house? It wasn't like he was a _welcome_ guest here, after all.

Zero scowled, frustrated at himself for having such hesitation. Who cared? Why should he bother about what the pureblood thought? He never had, and never would.

Deliberately not trying to mask the thuds of his shoes on each step, he climbed up to the second storey. The first thing he noticed was the huge, Victorian window at the end of the hall, almost taking up the entire wall in which it was set. It was shuttered, but Zero noticed a cord running down the side of the window. This would give him a good view of where exactly this villa was, thought Zero, as he swiftly walked over to the window and yanked the cord. Immediately, soft moonlight flooded the hallway, basking the previously dim area in a gentle, silvery glow. Zero's eyes widened slightly as he caught sight of the view beyond the window. His gaze was drawn almost immediately to the wide expanse of the night sky before his eyes, dotted here and there with twinkling stars, as if salt had been sprinkled lightly all over it. Despite the darkness outside, his enhanced vision allowed him to make out the acres of green lawns and gentle hills that encircled the building he was in. Trees had been planted neatly all around the area, some of them with brightly-coloured fruits hanging from the branches. Beyond the grass, he spied huge trees – of which species he could not say, not being particularly interested in botany – bordering the land, providing privacy and cover for the estate. Zero was pretty sure that the foliage was just one of the many security measures guarding the area, even if he could not see them. No pureblood would have lived in such an open, seemingly unguarded area without making sure no one could get in or out without his knowledge.

Well, thought Zero dryly, the view, thought breath-taking, hadn't helped him to get his bearings at all. There were no buildings in sights, just greenery and sky spreading out as far as the eye, vampiric though it might be, could see. All he had managed to learn was that the villa was located in an isolated area, probably an hour away from anything else.

As if he had expected anything less.

Turning away from the window, he glanced around him. He was standing in a hallway that was flanked with doors, likely leading into guest bedrooms. The window was at the end of the hallway, with the stairs in the middle of an open area. On the other side of the stairs, he saw a short corridor that continued around the corner, out of his view. _Where does that lead_, wondered Zero. _Kuran's room?_

Despite knowing that he had long crossed over from exploring to snooping, he let his curiosity get the better of him, following the corridor and turning the corner.

There were only two doors back here, directly opposite each other. Both were simple mahogany doors with brass knobs. They were exactly identical, and given their location, probably led into bedrooms. But why were there two? Unless... the pureblood was staying here with someone else. It would make a little sense of why the media had thought_he _was living with the pureblood. They probably saw Kuran out with the person he lived with, and somehow thought it would be funny to Photoshop his face into the picture, using him to fuel rumours. It would certainly lower the vampire society's view of the pureblood, if it was thought that he was hanging out and, even, _living together_ with an _ex-human_. Zero shook his head, growling softly. He wasn't going to allow his life – worthless as it might be – get turned upside down by a pureblood yet again.

Despite having crafted a possible theory to explain that baffling news report, Zero couldn't help the nagging sense of doubt at the back of his mind. It _was_ possible, but just didn't make sense. It seemed like too much work to try to sell such a ridiculous story, especially about someone as influential and powerful as the pureblood. An ex-human, and _male_, no less! Who in their right minds would ever believe in such a thing?

Then a question flashed across his mind. If Kuran _was_ indeed living with someone... _who_ was it?

...Yuuki?

His blood ran cold. Impossible. He was with her almost all of the day, it couldn't be!

_But you don't know where she goes after patrol, do you?_ asked that smug voice in his head. _You _think _she's going back to her room, but DOES she? Or does the pureblood arrange for her to come here?_

Zero shook his head angrily. No. That couldn't be. There wouldn't have been enough time for her to get here and back in time for the next day's morning lessons, not if she wanted to get a good night sleep. But it didn't stop his mind from running rampage with thoughts of her staying here with the pureblood on those days when she claimed to be going shopping, or during the times when he was away on missions.

Cold horror gripped him, blinding fury following soon after. Without a second thought, he marched over to the door on his right, raising a hand to open the door.

Before he could grasp the brass knob, his wrist was suddenly gripped by a firm, warm hand. On instinct, Zero aimed a kick at the figure that had unexpectedly appeared next to him, other hand immediately reaching for his gun. The other party easily dodged the blow, and, faster than the hunter could hope to see, tugged Bloody Rose out of where it had been shoved into his waistband. Before Zero could snatch it back, his attacker retreated.

Zero growled and turned in the direction from which he had come. Halfway in the midst of that brief exchange, having recovered from his initial surprise, he had managed to recognise the vampire presence.

A few feet away, Kuran Kaname stood facing him, Bloody Rose held casually by his side, pointing down at the floor.

It hadn't been at all difficult for Kaname to locate his lover, despite their lack of bond. The hunter had made zero effort to conceal his movements and noises. When the pureblood had ascended the stairs and seen the open window, his mind had automatically flashed back to a time not so long ago, when he had been bound and pressed up against the glass, completely willing to submit to Zero. The hunter had given him so much pleasure that night, and had unknowingly helped him to overcome his fears. All this while, his lover was still slowly using his utmost love and patience to help him heal from his scars and traumatic experiences. It was because of him that Kaname had gradually, but surely, started to accept his past for what it was, and to recover from it. Perhaps he would never be able to forget, but he was learning, with his lover's assistance, that acceptance of that dark period in his life, and looking forward instead of living in the past, was the key to helping him move on.

He had been broken out of his reverie when he heard the hitch in Zero's breathing and his quickening pulse. With a jolt, he realised that the hunter was about to enter his room, the one in which they had spent the night together. Though Aidou's bracelet around his wrist could hide the scents of his blood and... other bodily fluids, it wouldn't do much good if Zero saw the messy sheets for himself, and their clothes strewn around the floor. It would be impossible for him, at that point in time, to explain the situation with an off-handed reply, or using Yuuki as an excuse.

_Especially_ using Yuuki as excuse, he thought grimly, not missing the sudden hostility the hunter now had towards him.

Even now, he could see the anger and accusation in the other's eyes, as if he had figured why there were two bedrooms hidden back here. Did this Zero think Yuuki stayed here with him? If he did, he had no way of proving otherwise, considering that he couldn't very well let him into the room and show him the evidence.

Wait, _evidence_? Kaname's eyes widened eagerly. How could he have forgotten the best piece of evidence he had? The memory necklace. Was it underneath the boy's uniform? How would he respond if he asked him to check under his shirt for a necklace? For a second, the pureblood's heartbeat quickened in anticipation as he considered the crazy idea.

But then he sighed inwardly, hope fizzling away. He already knew the answer, didn't he? With Zero in a mood like this, there was _absolutely no way in hell_ that things would proceed as he would like them to. Even if the necklace was there, the hunter would probably be disgusted and think the memories were all a lie. As the old hunter had said, Zero would have a fit and run off. That wouldn't help this situation at all. Perhaps it was best if he let the boy rest for now, and perhaps think of some way to have a doctor examine him tomorrow. Hopefully Yagari would be able to find a solution to this mess. He, too, would use all the resources he had to find out what had happened to his lover, and to their bond.

'Kiryuu,' began the pureblood mildly. 'Why are you snooping around my house?'

Giving no indication of having heard him, the hunter stalked forward, clearly intent on retrieving his gun from the other vampire. Kaname sighed inwardly and held the gun out, handle towards Zero, so that the boy could just reach out and grab it. Predictably, Zero stopped immediately in his tracks, eyes narrowed with suspicion at his gun being offered back to him.

'What game are you playing here, Kuran?' hissed the ex-human.

Before Kaname could even open his mouth to formulate a reply, he continued, volume raising a notch as his agitation grew.

'Does Yuuki stay here? Is one of those rooms for her? And what's up with that ridiculous news report from before, huh? Why are they using _me_, of _all_ the ex-humans in this freaking world, to attack you? Why would they even _contemplate_ the very_idea_ that I am your protégé? Is that why I was attacked? So it's all because of _you_ that I'm in this situation right now, aren't I, you stupid bloodsucker?'

By the time he was done bombarding the pureblood with his barrage of questions, Zero was panting slightly, having done it all in a single breath. He summoned the most vicious glare he could muster, which, unfortunately for the hunter, did not have quite the effect he'd hoped, seeing as how he was all out of breath. He cursed his feeble lungs, gulping in several mouthfuls of air to try to recover from his humiliating display.

Kaname watched him in amusement, the corners of his lips twitching slightly as only his impeccable control prevented him from chuckling at the adorable image his lover presented, with that barely-visible flush on his cheeks from his anger; hair sticking out haphazardly from having been run through by the frustrated ex-human one too many times; sweet, rosy lips parted slightly to suck in air. Oh, how he longed to be able to capture the boy in his arms; to savour, once again, the taste of those luscious lips as he explored the inside of his hot, sinfully delicious mouth; to drag his tongue slowly over that smooth, pale skin, feeling his lover shuddering in pleasure; to see those striking amethyst eyes darkening, in that conflicting blend of pleasure and exasperation that Zero had somehow managed to perfect, eyes half-closing as he sighed in contented bliss – a strong surge of desire gripped Kaname as he allowed those thoughts to consume him, bringing back memories from a few hours earlier, and even beyond that. He was helpless now, having gone much too far to reverse his train of thought, despite the still-somehow-rational part of his brain that was watching on in horror, screaming at him to stop and return to reality, where one very real, majorly pissed off hunter was standing before him.

He had always been weak whenever Zero was concerned...

'Kuran,' growled Zero impatiently.

It had taken a few wretched seconds, but he had finally managed to catch his breath. To his incredulity, the pureblood's eyes were misty and glazed off, as if he were lost in another time. Grudgingly allowing him few seconds to process his questions, Zero had paused, waiting for the answers he knew he deserved to get. But as seconds ticked by and it was obvious the pureblood was not returning to this moment, the hunter's patience had swiftly reached its limit.

'Answer me, dammit,' he continued, when the heavy silence remained.

Thankfully for Kaname, the still-somehow-rational part of his brain had managed to snap to attention at the sound of Zero's annoyed voice, quickly taking control and sweeping all amorous thoughts out from his mind. With only a barely discernable delay, the pureblood's eyes focussed on the boy before him, mind already planning his reply.

'Yuuki has never come to this place,' he stated truthfully. _And she never will be able to_, were the words that wanted to follow, but he swallowed them back down, pain clenching his chest.

'Regarding that news report, I had no idea. That was just an acquaintance. If it was me who put you - and Yuuki's - life in danger, then I apologise.' Now _this_, this he couldn't get out of without lying. He hated it with every fibre of his being, but saw no easier way to resolve the situation. Once he was clear about what had happened to his lover, he would not waste even a single second in telling him the whole truth, he swore. But right now, for tonight, it would be better if he just left it at this.

Zero blinked at the apology. He couldn't recall a time, _ever_, when Kuran had apologised to him. Yet here he was, doing it so smoothly and readily, not the slightest trace of sarcasm or disdain in his tone or on his face. He didn't know why, but, perhaps for the first time ever, he didn't try to refute the pureblood's words, or to argue back. Perhaps it was the shock of hearing that unexpected apology, or that unreadable, yet clearly not harsh, expression on the other vampire's face, but Zero just did not feel up to it. Maybe he would do it tomorrow, when he hadn't just woken up from being drugged, but for now, with exhaustion sneakily creeping up to envelope him in its embrace, and mind a jumbled, raving mess, he just felt like crawling onto a bed and letting sleep overcome him. Heck, even the floor was looking pretty good right now.

'Whatever,' he muttered, eyelids suddenly as heavy as bricks. When had he gotten so exhausted? Sure, he had been feeling slightly lethargic ever since he awoke, but had figured it would simply fade away. At that time, it hadn't even been all that noticeable; more annoying than debilitating.

What Zero didn't realise that it actually been growing worse all this while, but at so gradual a speed that he himself hadn't even perceived the changes, only just feeling the intensity of his exhaustion at this very moment.

The boy's uncharacteristic passivity was not unnoticed by Kaname. But as he saw the hunter blinking rapidly, shaking his head slightly, he realised why.

'Are you tired, Kiryuu?'

The hunter frowned, annoyed that his body was once again betraying him. He must still be feeling the aftereffects of the drug he had been slipped, he surmised, as his body started to slacken. Reaching out to support himself against the wall, he replied with a resolute 'no', even though he was all but collapsed against the wall.

The pureblood had come to a similar conclusion as well, that Zero must've been recovering from the effects of whatever had happened to him, perhaps a spell of some kind. He didn't know if losing memories made vampires sleepy, but he did know that his lover was just minutes away from falling asleep. But of course, the hunter would sooner cut off his tongue than admit it.

'If you say so. But since we're already up here, I might as well show you to your room.'

Kaname kept his tone neutral, not letting any traces of worry and concern lace his tone. The next second, he was next to Zero, wrapping a hand around the other's forearm to gently but firmly pull him along with him.

Zero immediately stiffened at the other's touch, trying to shove the pureblood away. He was too overcome by lethargy to have any real success though, and was only able to make feeble attempts to free himself – though his mouth had nothing stopping it from cursing and swearing violently - as he was led out of the corridor and towards the door closest to the staircase, in the hallway with the giant window. The hunter swore inwardly at his pathetic, sluggish motions, but stubbornly refused to stop trying.

Once the pureblood stopped in front of the door, Zero was able to finally push him off - though he didn't realise it was only because the pureblood had released him to turn the knob. Through the haze in his mind, and the darkness in the room, he was able to make out a pleasant-looking bedroom, floor a carpeted brown. A large, four-poster bed, with its canopy mostly drawn, sat regally in the centre of the room, just beneath a ceiling light-cum-fan that had not been turned on. An antique, intricately-designed desk had been placed at the curtained window, together with its matching chair. A plush, comfortable armchair rested in the corner, a lamp standing beside it. On the other side of the room, there was a closed door, presumably leading to an adjoining bathroom. Next to it was a small, wooden dresser. The entire room had been decorated in an earth tone, the muted colours calming and comforting to their viewer's eyes.

Zero started when the pureblood lightly pushed him into the room, but before he could jerk away – or, well, weakly attempt to - , a soft 'rest well' sounded from behind him, then a click echoed around the suddenly silent room. By the time he turned around, ready to let out _yet_ another curse, the door was shut, leaving him alone in the room.

Well, _mostly_ alone. Bloody Rose lay reassuringly on the end table next to the door.

Eyeing his surroundings again, Zero's bleary eyes could not help being drawn to that enormous, excessively-extravagant, yet looking-comfortable-as-hell bed. The hunter fought hard against the temptation to just collapse onto the bed, but with his eyes barely open, and a fog swirling around in his mind, it wasn't long before he gave in, hauling his black jacket off at the same time as his shoes and socks were being kicked off. The next second, he was tumbling toward the bed, still clothed in his shirt and pants, undone tie hanging loosely around his neck.

He was submerged in darkness even before his head hit the pillow.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed that!

A few things I must mention:

1. The description of the huge window and the view outside was heavily borrowed from Blackened Wing's SitD fic. I did take a few liberties with it, though.

2. I'm sure it's really pretty clear by now, but still, I should mention it: This fanfic takes place some time after Kaname and Zero's battle with Nasser in SitD, but because we don't know yet what happens at the end of SitD, I'm just going to write this without mentioning what happened to Aidou, and everything related to that arc.

3. Sometimes I use 'Kuran', sometimes I use 'Kaname' - it probably seems pretty random, right? But actually, I use them to show from whose perspective I'm writing. If I'm writing from Zero's, it'll be 'Kuran'; from Kaname's, well, '_Kaname'_. The same idea applies for 'Kiryuu' and 'Zero' in the Past. I use 'pureblood' and 'hunter' and 'ex-human' pretty much anytime LOL.

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**gleish26: **I totally agree with that sentiment about Blackened Wing's fanfics! :) They're really too awesome for words! Thank you very much for the encouragement! I will try my very best to make sure I keep this going.

**Hi (guest reviewer):** Thank you so much for commenting again! Your comments never fail to cheer me up after a bad day; I just keep rereading them over and over, so please keep them coming haha! :) I'm really excited and grateful that you enjoy this story, and I'm so sorry for the relative shortness of Chapter 2! I'm thinking about having my chapters all be at least 5000 words each, so hopefully that will be better :) Regarding the two boys treating each other badly... well... I don't like it either, but it's quite unavoidable, given how much they've changed. :( There'll already be conflict between them in the Past in the next chapter *SPOILER ALERT XD*, but I can promise that because my writing isn't, and will never be, as awesome as many other authors on FF, it won't be super detailed or gory at all :) I hope that won't stop you from reading, though *worries anxiously*. Definitely, everything will turn out all sweet and lovey-dovey in the end, because I am a sucker for happy endings. :) Regardless, thank you so much for your continuing support! And for that very understanding line to 'take [my] time because real life is tough' :D (I think I've just written a _terribly_ long reply to your review... but that just shows how much you mean to me! :D)

**Siren Dreams:** Thank you! :) Yes, I really love her stories too! Thank you so much for that compliment, and for your encouragements! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and hope to hear from you again :) By the way, if you're looking for a similar idea, you should definitely go check out TammyTBoneTTB, whose idea inspired this fic!

Right, that's it for now, see you all next chapter! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** GASP. NEW CHAPTER SO SOON? Yep! Hi guys! :) Here's Chapter 4! Enjoy and _please_ review :)

**Disclaimer**: Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB!**

* * *

_PAST_

Moonlight streamed in through the open window, basking the unlit room in its pale glow and casting shadows all around it. Kaname was leaning against his desk, deep in thought, long fingers running lightly over the pendant in his hand.

He had attempted, after much deliberation over what the smell of his blood could do to the Night Class, to use his blood on his mother's necklace. But it hadn't worked in the slightest.; the necklace was still totally closed off to him. All he had managed to achieve was the frenzy into which his fellow vampires had gotten, and the worry of his inner circle, who had immediately come running to check up on his well-being. With barely-veiled annoyance, he had sent them away, with orders to calm the rest down. Takuma had been the last to leave, and when he turned to give his friend one last glance of concern, his eyes had fallen upon the necklace in the pureblood's hands. Kaname had seen the recognition in his eyes, followed by quiet understanding. Although the blond vampire had not said anything, much to Kaname's gratitude, he had shot him a sympathetic smile and nod, before chasing the other vampires speedily out of the room and closing the door behind them.

Alone with his thoughts once again, his mind wandered through all the various possibilities that could've led to his mother's necklace being around Kiryuu Zero's neck, and how it was no longer blood-bound to his family's blood.

That necklace was supposed to have been in the property of whoever had attacked and killed his parents. He had always had his suspicions about his uncle. Was it possible that Rido had realised the significance of the memory necklace, and had its ownership switched so that Kaname would never be able to obtain the proof of that fateful night? And perhaps he had then gotten rid of it, and it had somehow landed up in the property of one Kiryuu Zero. It was by no means an impossible scenario, but he hadn't thought his uncle would ever have been able to realise what kind of stone the necklace held. If this were true, Kaname would have to find another way to prove that Rido had been the one responsible for what happened to his family. For even though he had seen his uncle burn that night, Kaname was not that naïve to think that everything would be over that easily. His uncle was sure to have underlings who would make sure he paid for his death. Even though years had passed, Kaname had never let himself be lulled into a false sense of security, for he knew that if their positions had been switched, he would have had the same plan: to wait years until the other vampire had let his guard down, before striking. That was why, even after all these years, Kaname had still been trying his best to track down the necklace, knowing it was pretty much the best and only proof he could get of what happened that night in his house.

And now, here it was, sitting securely in the palm of his hand.

All that searching, and it turned out that it had been sitting right under his nose all this while, hanging innocently around the neck of a boy he saw every day.

Kaname ground his teeth angrily. The hunter had insisted on hiding the truth from him. _How dare he!? _This was Kaname's family heirloom, and he _would_ get the answers he desired, even if it meant torturing the other male. Yuuki... would just have to understand. This was just too important to him.

Tucking the necklace into his pocket, he strode towards the door, motions determined and purposeful.

* * *

Zero was sitting on the grass, leaning against a large tree. His eyes were closed, and his breathing even. Outwardly, he was the picture of peaceful tranquillity. But it was merely a deceptive façade. His heart was racing, mind swimming in confusion.

Not long after Yuuki had stopped him from going after the pureblood, her eyelids had started to droop, limbs noticeably slackening around him. He had almost decided to let her sleep there next to him, so that he could spend more time with her, even if it was just observing her in her sleep, but seeing her shifting uncomfortably on the cold, hard ground had gnawed at his heart. He just could not bear to have her suffer, even if this somehow was still just a dream. Thus, he had hoisted her up into his arms and carried her back to her dorm room. Zero knew that had she been awake, she would have been protesting violently at being carried across the school grounds in such an embarrassing position, so he relished in being able to do it now that she was asleep. Yori's eyes had bulged out of their sockets when she had answered Zero's knock to find them in such a position, but other than blushing furiously, she hadn't said a word.

Zero had briefly considered watching over Yuuki from the branches of the tree next to the window, but dismissed the thought almost instantly, knowing that that was behavior way too similar to that of a stalker. He had let his feet lead him back to where they had been patrolling before, while his mind replayed the memories of earlier that evening - the cruelty in Kaname's eyes and the violent reaction he had had to the necklace. Was this _really_ just a dream? If so, why hadn't he woken up yet? Opening his eyes, Zero stared down at his hands. He felt incredibly stupid for even considering what he was about to do, but then, what did he have to lose?

Swiftly, before he could change his mind, he reached out to grab the tender flesh at his inner wrist, twisting it as roughly and painfully as he could. He cursed violently under his breath as pain coursed through his arm. Well, that had been a ridiculous idea. But it confirmed his suspicions. He was still here in this world. He hadn't woken up to find himself back in the villa, or even anywhere in his world. Which could only mean that this was _not_ a dream, as he had initially believed.

But if it wasn't... then what was happening right now? Had he somehow been transported back into the past? _Time travel?_ wondered Zero dryly. He had never heard of such a thing before. If something like that existed, it would be _pretty _big news, wouldn't it? It _had_ to be impossible, right?

Zero sighed, rubbing his face wearily with his hand. All these questions were making his head ache. All he wanted to do was to just lay down and get some sleep. Hopefully, the next time he opened his eyes, he would see his lover standing over him, looking at him with concern in his eyes and calling his name...

'Kiryuu.'

The hunter's eyes snapped open. Kaname was standing a few steps away, staring down at him. For a few blissful seconds, Zero's heart swelled with hope and happiness that perhaps he really had awakened from that nightmare. But then, he realised that his surroundings were still the same as before, and the pureblood in front of him was not, in fact, looking at him with love and concern, but instead, anger and frustration. He sighed inwardly. He really didn't want to have to deal with this, but it appeared as if he had no choice. Still, he let his eyelids flutter close, trying to remain in the comforting darkness for a few more seconds.

'Kiryuu, I need you to tell me the truth about this necklace.'

Apparently, the pureblood was not going to let him off. Zero opened his eyes and got to his feet, eyes fixed on the vampire in front of him.

'I already did.'

He could feel the anger rolling off the pureblood in actual, physical waves. He almost let out a grim smile, but managed to control himself just in time.

'Do _not_ joke with me, Kiryuu. I will not hesitate to crush you in an instant, even if Yuuki gets hurt.'

Zero pressed his lips together in a thin line. Had past Kaname always been this annoying? Demanding that things went his way, utilising threats in an attempt to frighten his opponents into submission. Well, he supposed so. It had just been too long since the hunter had had to see this side of him.

Too caught up in his thoughts to have seen it coming, Zero suddenly found himself pressed up against the tree behind him, throat gripped cruelly in Kaname's hand.

'Speak the truth while you still have the chance to,' ordered the pureblood, piercing glare aimed at the hunter at his mercy.

Zero said nothing, merely observing the other vampire. The one who looked so very much like his sweet lover, but was worlds apart in terms of personality. When the hand around his throat tightened, the hunter refused to gasp for air, or give any outward indication of his discomfort. He would not allow this cruel Kaname the pleasure of seeing him submit. Yet at the same time, he found himself not struggling in the least. Was it because he couldn't bear to hurt Kaname? Even though this was a totally different version of the Kaname he knew and loved? How pitiful...

Kaname's eyes narrowed. Not only was the prefect not talking, he was not fighting back _at all_. If he hadn't been so frustrated at the other's continued defiance towards him, a _pureblood_, he would've taken a few seconds to puzzle over the hunter uncharacteristic passiveness. As it was however, his anger was growing to new heights, once again lowering the temperature around him. He let his nails lengthen into sharp claws, piercing the delicate skin of his victim's neck. The pained hiss the hunter let out was somewhat gratifying to his ears, and he pushed them in deeper, feeling warm liquid pooling out of the wounds he had made. As he watched Kiryuu's blood trail slowly down from his neck to his collar bone, a sudden thought crossed his mind. Still keeping his hand around the boy's throat, he reached into his pocket, drawing out the necklace. After a moment's hesitation, he raised it, bringing it closer to the flowing blood.

Zero's eyes widened when he realised what Kaname was about to do. _So what?_ his mind protested. _Just let him see the truth! It'll make things easier for you! _

But Zero could not just stand idly by and let the pureblood continue. This was not his Kaname, he knew, and the memories in that necklace would not be easy to watch, especially when this Kaname hated Zero with every inch of his body. Just before the necklace came into contact with his blood, the hunter struggled wildly, using his fists, elbows, knees; whatever he could, to push the pureblood away. All those training sessions with Kaname had not gone to waste, because a few of his blows _actually_ managed to connect. Whether it was because of his increased strength or because the pureblood was caught by surprise, Zero didn't know, and didn't very much care. At that moment, all he think of was putting as much distance between himself and Kaname as possible. Once the grip around his neck was gone, he took off, sprinting as fast as his body would allow, not once looking back.

Alas, he only managed to buy himself a few seconds, before he was thrown to the ground onto his stomach, wrists pinned in a single tight grip above his head. He struggled violently, but with his hips straddled by the pureblood, trapping him firmly against the ground, wrists locked in an unforgiving hold, he was totally defenceless. His mind automatically flashed back to the last time they had been in such a position, when Kaname had been desperately craving blood, and he had agreed to give his. At that time, he had felt equally vulnerable and at the other's mercy, not knowing if the pureblood would be able to hold himself back from drinking him dry. This time, all he was worried about was the pureblood watching the memories they had had together, yet the dread he felt was almost as bad as when he was about to be bled dry. He continued thrashing on the ground, trying in vain to free himself.

Kaname chuckled mirthlessly at the other's foolish attempts to escape. Didn't he know by now that _no one_ escaped a pureblood? Without any hesitation this time, he brought the necklace to the blood on Kiryuu's neck, causing him to jolt in surprise.

Zero tried to lock the necklace the instant he registered it being thrust against his neck, but the few seconds of initial surprise had allowed one memory to filter through. It was the most recent one, just before he had left his lover's bedroom earlier on that evening. The kiss on Kaname's forehead, his promise of breakfast, the exchange of their feelings for each other – the scene played out clearly in the darkness of night. Still, Zero was glad he had managed to stop the memories before the more... _passionate_ scenes could escape. God knew how the pureblood would react to that. Already, just from watching this short, mild scene, the pureblood over him had tensed up, hand unconsciously increasing its death grip on his wrists. Zero knew that if he didn't do something to escape right now, the pureblood would do everything in his power to have full access to the necklace. Probably at his expense. And that wasn't something Zero was particularly looking forward to.

In this position, there was only one thing Zero could do, much as he would prefer not to. Taking a deep breath, he called upon his vines, an assortment of the smooth ones and the thorny ones, because he knew the hunter's poison in his thorns was the only way he could really slow the pureblood down. In a flash, his vines were wrapped tightly around the pureblood, pulling him off of Zero. The hunter swiftly got to his feet, head spinning slightly from the blood loss from his neck wounds. Not wasting any time, he snatched his necklace out of Kaname's hand, before proceeding to run off in the opposite direction. He knew he just needed to find Yuuki, because the girl's presence would surely stop Kaname from any further attempts, despite what the latter claimed. So it was to Yuuki's room that he was now headed. He cursed himself mentally for not having just stayed with her as he had wanted to. It would've saved him a lot of trouble.

Suddenly, with absolutely no warning at all, an intense burning pain seared through Zero's entire body, causing him to collapse to his knees. _What the hell was that?_ wondered Zero, as he tried desperately to clear his vision of the momentary fog that had clouded it. He could barely move, limbs still trembling unsteadily from the blow he had taken.

And then he realised. His vines. Kaname must've destroyed his vines.

Zero exhaled shakily_. No, dammit_, he cursed. _I can't stay here, shaking like a leaf! I need to get up. Move, you stupid body!_

But despite his desperate pleas, his body refused to obey him. A few minutes, it begged. Give me a few minutes to recover.

However, Zero did not have the luxury of a few minutes to rest.

Through the haze of pain, he sensed the pureblood coming up behind him. Before he could figure out his next move, he felt a harsh kick bury itself into the side of his ribs, forcing him to collapse onto his back with a pained grunt. The next second, he found that he could not command control of any of his limbs. With a start, he realised that Kaname was mentally holding him still, just like he had on their first date. At the time, he had found it amusing and had been more than glad to allow his lover to take the lead. But now, he couldn't stop the panic building up in him. If this was really still a mere dream, it was turning out to be the most detailed and agonizing nightmare he'd ever had. He hadn't thought his imagination could ever have depicted his sweet, lusty lover as such a violent, cruel vampire.

Zero fought mentally with all his might, battering against the pureblood's mental hold on him. In a swift motion, Kaname leapt atop him, a fist connecting hard with his jaw. The ex-human barely managed to bite back a cry as lights exploded in his vision. Eyes screwed up tightly, he gave a jolt when something cold was pressed roughly against the side of his neck. The pureblood had seized Zero's moment of distraction to try to unlock the necklace using his blood again. In a flash, his mind pushed past the haze that was threatening to overcome him, hurriedly locking the necklace mentally and preventing any playback of his memories. His body might still be weak, but his mind was very much in one piece.

With a growl of frustration, Kaname pushed against the hunter's mental walls, trying to get into his mind to unlock the necklace. Zero smiled grimly, knowing the pureblood would not be able to get what he wanted that easily. Over the years, the hunter had had many lessons trying to resist the pureblood's mental invasion. Though he never managed to stop the pureblood from eventually breaking in, the time it had required the latter to do so had gradually increased over time. Zero's mental resistance was now definitely much stronger than it had been. Perhaps he was almost as strong as the unsuspecting Kaname before him now, who also had hunter poison circulating in his system and taking its toll on his body. He could sense that the pureblood was weaker than he was before. Perhaps Zero would be able to overcome him.

He had to try.

Letting his body relax on the grass, Zero focussed all his attention solely on strengthening his mental barriers against Kaname's attempted invasion. He knew his own strengths, and was well aware that he was too weak to force the pureblood out of his mind totally to free himself from the mental trap. But that was not his intention. He just wanted to stop Kaname from getting through his walls and unlocking the necklace's memories. Even though this was _Kaname_, and those memories were of them together, Zero knew that the pureblood he was fighting against at present was not the same one he knew and loved. This one would not be able to handle what he would see. Zero had not been wrong in likening the necklace to something like a porno, because most of the memories on there were, in fact, of the amorous nature. This Kaname would probably have an aneurysm and destroy the school in a fit, or something. But deep down, the real truth was that Zero didn't want to share his precious memories with anyone but _his_ Kaname, much less a crazier, crueller version of his lover.

So he fought hard, pushing back against the other vampire's hammering against his shields. Seconds passed, then minutes. The pureblood was still stuck outside.

It had worked.

Zero maintained his defences, not letting himself relax even when he felt the pureblood's mental attack ease up and eventually cease. He opened his eyes, rapidly blinking away the traitorous tears that had gathered behind his eyelids.

Kaname's face was a few inches above him, incomprehension and frustration starkly reflected in his features.

'When I last saw you during class changeover, you were the same as always. And now, you suddenly have a whole new power, and can even resist me mentally. How did you change so much in just a few hours, Kiryuu?' asked the pureblood quietly, in a tone of authority and superiority that no normal vampire, much less an ex-human, would be able to resist.

But then, Zero was no ordinary vampire.

He had no trouble whatsoever remaining silent, returning the pureblood's assessing gaze with his trademark defiant glare.

Anger flashed in Kaname's eyes at the hunter's continued impertinence and disobedience. Again, his hand shot out to wrap firmly around the pale, slender neck beneath it, squeezing it so tightly that barely any air could flow.

'Answer me, Kiryuu.'

Zero ignored the other's words, wheezing lightly as his lungs heaved for air and his head started spinning again. He tried to struggle, but the pureblood's mental hold on him still held fast. As his vision started swimming and his oxygen-deprived brain began shutting down, Zero did the only thing he could, immobile as he was.

A massive tangle of thorny vines rose up from all around him - his body, the grass, the trees –, all rushing toward the pureblood, intent on stopping him, even if that involved hurting him.

Unfortunately for Zero, the pureblood was ready for him. Concentrating hard, steadfastly ignoring the agony that burned his mind from the intense strain he was putting it under, he obliterated every last one of them. This time, Zero couldn't hold back his pained cry. Pain exploded all over his body, frying his nerve receptors and causing the muscles in his body to spasm. He had called upon so many, spinning them all from his own power in that moment of desperation, so their utter destruction had a horribly debilitating effect on the ex-human's body. Head reeling from the aftershock, he didn't realise that the pureblood had released his throat, and the necklace was now in its place. In the aftermath of Kaname's attack, all of Zero's mental defences had collapsed, leaving his mind wide open. With no effort at all, Kaname swooped right in, unlocking the necklace. Zero was absolutely powerless. Trapped inside the world of pain in which he had been thrown into, all he could do was lie there limply, eyes closed, only vaguely aware of Kaname's consciousness in his mind.

A corner of the pureblood lips turned up in triumph when he regarded the almost unconscious boy. _Finally,_ the stubborn hunter was pliant and obedient. The next second, Kaname let himself into the unguarded mind, easily commanding it to initiate the necklace's playback.

As the pureblood silently examined the 'footage', starting with the most recent memory and going backwards from there, he felt a growing sense of horror. Though the short memory that he had seen previously had already been pretty clear, he had managed to tell himself that it wasn't what it had looked like. But now that he had access to everything, there was no denying it. The memories clearly showed that he and _Zero_ - of all people! – were in a _mutual_, loving relationship, one that had already been accepted by his inner circle, no less. The first physical scene he had come across, he had watched with horrified eyes and a dropped jaw as _he _had seduced the other male and it had continued for the next hour. Bile rose up in his throat as he saw every step, every detail of the sexual activity playing out in front of him. Kaname thought it would never end. A sense of revulsion overwhelmed him and his stomach churned and somersaulted, threatening to regurgitate his previous meal. Swallowing rapidly and taking deep breaths to calm his body down, he continued the playback, grimly and resolutely skipping over the physical parts.

Each one of the scenes he watched had him cringing in dismay and struggling to hold down his stomach's contents. And he couldn't believe the amount of sexual activity that had been recorded in the necklace. What sickened him even more was how almost every one of them had been initiated by himself, with the hunter responding in kind.

Once the playback was finally over, with the memory of that first dance echoing in his mind, Kaname released the necklace like he had been burnt, throwing himself off the other boy. He bent over, coughing and retching, finally losing control of himself. A few minutes passed as his stomach emptied its contents into a rose bush.

Rose. It reminded him of Zer-Kiryuu's power as he had seen it in the necklace, the flower pinned to his jacket on their first date, and that thought made his stomach heave all over again.

Once he was finally done, he got to his feet gingerly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Unsteadily, he made his way back to where the silver-haired hunter was lying, now fully unconscious. His features were relaxed in sleep, silver hair messed up and spread on the grass, not unlike when it was spread on soft, white sheets – the pureblood froze.

What the _hell_ had he been thinking?

* * *

Zero woke slowly. As consciousness returned to him, so did the agonising pain, though it had lessened to some extent. Having had copious amounts of pureblood blood in his body had made it much tougher. As a result, not only was he physically stronger, he recovered from wounds more quickly as well.

_Not quickly enough_, Zero thought with a grimace, as he sat up slowly from where he was sprawled on the grass. Fire burned through his upper body even with the simple act and he had to struggle to keep from collapsing back down. His mind was still dazed and sluggish, senses all out of whack. Thankfully, his vision had more or less returned, save for the fuzzy edges, and he turned his head gingerly to glance around him.

Standing a few feet off from him was the pureblood, leaning against an old oak tree with his arms crossed over his chest. He was eyeing the hunter with a cool, unreadable stare. Zero knew Kaname was not done with him yet, his very presence here was proof of that, but was intentionally choosing not to react to his awakening. After years of observing his lover with business competitors as well as enemies, the hunter knew Kaname's games like the back of his hand, understanding that was what was happening now. He wouldn't give the pureblood the satisfaction of being affected by the thick silence and being the one to initate conversation.

He stared back at the pureblood evenly in the eyes, setting a bored, unperturbed expression on his face. Minutes ticked by as both prideful males engaged in an unspoken challenge.

And then, surprising Zero, the pureblood's eyes flicked away from his face, and he pushed off from the tree, making his way towards the other vampire slightly unsteadily.

_Kaname must be more affected by what he saw in the necklace than he realises,_ thought Zero, as he maintained his position on the ground, unmoving, even though his senses were on high alert, screaming at him to put more distance between him and the emotionally wrung-out pureblood. He ignored his feelings, fighting against letting his wariness show on his face. Even though he could feel his strength returning gradually, he knew that if the pureblood wished to hurt him, he wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. Though his training over the years had vastly improved his strength, and though the other vampire had hunter poison running through his veins, Kaname's constitution and body was still that of a pureblood's, which meant it was inherently much more powerful, and way more adept and efficient at recovering from wounds than his was. Though the wounds from his vines were still not healed, the bleeding had stopped, and Zero could sense that the other's powers were returning to their original state much more quickly that his were. Zero cursed inwardly. Even though he had known Kaname had always held himself slightly back during their sparring sessions, he had always hoped that if he really tried, if he was _really_ intent on taking down the other with no care for his well-being, he would somehow be able to do it. Yet here he was, unable to match up even with the younger, weaker version of his lover.

_Well_, he thought grimly. _At least I managed to hold my own enough that he's almost staggering._

Zero was broken out of his thoughts when he heard a leaf crunch beside him. Looking up, he realised that the object of his thoughts was now standing directly over him. Not changing his initial expression, the ex-human let his eyes remain on the other's. The pureblood seemed much calmer than before, giving no outward indication that he was about to attack him again.

Kaname stared down at the silver-haired boy below him.

'Kiryuu. Those memories. Are they real?'

The hunter blinked. Should he lie? It would actually make things so much easier, wouldn't it, if he just said, 'No, they're fake'? He wouldn't have to explain everything and then deal with the pureblood's disbelief and anger.

Before he could reply, however, Kaname shook his head lightly, eyes fluttering shut.

'No, never mind. I know they're real. It is impossible to implant fake memories into a memory stone.'

Zero didn't know whether to feel relieved or not. On one hand, it seemed like he wouldn't have to convince the pureblood of their relationship, since the other was so certain that the memories were genuine. Yet, on the other hand, he highly doubted that the pureblood would just accept their seemingly-impossible relationship that easily.

'You,' began the pureblood, drawing Zero's attention back to him. 'You're not the same Kiryuu Zero I saw this evening during changeover, am I correct?'

Reluctantly, the hunter gave a small nod. Honestly, he shouldn't be at all surprised that the pureblood had managed to come to that conclusion. Kaname had always been insightful and intelligent, able to draw conclusions from incredibly crazy situations. Perhaps the pureblood could tell him what had happened to him. If he had gotten over the urge to torture him for information, that is.

'I don't know exactly what happened. One minute I was in my own... world, the next, I was waking up here, with Yuuki.'

Kaname frowned. Crossing between worlds? Was that even possible? He _had_ heard about some vampire spells that allowed one to cross time, but that wasn't the same as crossing dimensions, was it? And it couldn't be that this Zero was from the_future_, right? Because that would mean _he_ would get involved with him within years, and that was just too ludicrous a thought to even consider.

'The world that you're from, what is it like?'

Zero swallowed. He couldn't very well tell him that it was set years from now, with Yuuki murdered, and the two of them in a committed, romantic relationship, now could he? Then again, the pureblood already knew about their relationship, so at least that part wouldn't be _too_ awkward. But how would he ever tell him about Yuuki? Or that he very possibly was from the future?

Thankfully, Kaname was still continuing on.

'In your world, you and I, we're... _together_? _Romantically_?'

Okay, maybe it wasn't so 'thankfully' after all.

'Um,' said Zero, averting his gaze, trying his damnest to will away the embarrassed blush threatening to make its presence known. 'Sort of.'

'...I see.'

A few seconds of uncomfortable silence ensued, both vampires looking away from each other, each lost in their own thoughts.

'Ka-Kuran?'

'What is it?'

'Have you heard of any spells about, I don't know, say, time travel?'

Kaname's heart skipped a beat at the other's words.

'Time travel?' he repeated. 'Kiryuu, are you from the _future_?'

The dismay in Kaname's tone had Zero glancing up at him sharply. Ah. It looked like the pureblood had put two and two together. Perhaps he shouldn't have raised that question, but he had needed to know. And judging by the way Kaname had answered, it looked like it _was_ indeed possible. Ignoring the horrified expression on the other vampire's face, he gave the most truthful answer he could.

'I'm not completely sure. But it _is_ possible?'

The look on Kaname's face remained, but he nodded his head slightly.

'I've heard of a spell that would allow a vampire to travel across time, but there has only been one successful case, of a very high-standing, pureblood vampire. Even then, he only managed to reside in the foreign time for a few minutes, before he became too drained, and had to return. I doubt anyone, even a pureblood, would've been able to hold on for as long as you have.'

Zero nodded, eyebrows creasing. He obviously hadn't willingly cast any spells to send himself into another time, much less be able to maintain it for so many hours unknowingly. So then, how had he ended up here?

Kaname frowned slightly as he considered the same question. Suddenly, pages of an old book he had once read flashed through his mind. If his memory served him well, it had been about switching past and present selves of the same person. It could be done to a person without him having to know, and did not take very much to maintain, only requiring a single sacrifice to initiate. Its name...

'The Time Switcher spell.'

* * *

That's it for this chapter! See you guys in the next :)

To **Hi (guest reviewer):** Thank you so much for your very kind words! You're the one that gives me the motivation to keep going, even when I have no inspiration. I'm really glad you like how adorable the characters are, and I will make sure to include scenes of Kaname giving past Zero some sweet loving ;P I look forward to having you along as I journey through this fanfic :) Thank you again for your support and hope to hear from you soon! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: Hi guys! Chapter 5 is here! This chapter just would not end hahahaha; sorry if it seems too draggy or anything. Hope you guys enjoy and review :D Thank you for reading this anyway :)

**Disclaimer**: Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing**, **TammyTBoneTTB**!

* * *

_PRESENT_

For the hundredth time that night, Kaname sighed in exasperation. Running a hand through his hair, he let out a frustrated growl and almost threw the book in his hand down onto the floor, but managed to restrain himself from such a childish act. He settled for slamming it back onto the shelf with a force greater than necessary, before stalking his way back to flop down on the sofa, head thrown back against the head cushion, eyelids closing over exhausted chocolate eyes.

It had been two hours since he had left Zero in the guest bedroom to rest. He had headed straight for their library in the villa, hoping to get some answers from the old, precious collections gathering dust on the shelves. He had had this library stocked up with as many books as he could gather, both of vampire and hunter history, spending a great deal of money and time to obtain rare, antique titles. Yet, nothing in them spoke of a spell or charm, or_anything_ at all, really, that could cause a blood bond to mysteriously disappear without a trace, along with the owner's memories. Well, he hadn't _really_ expected to find anything - at least, not so easily - seeing as he had never even heard of anything like it before, despite past efforts to research into the matter, but frustration was eating at him, knowing that it was his lover who was at stake here.

Initially, he had thought that Zero's amnesia was just a tactic, perhaps to keep Kaname occupied on his lover, then the perpetrators would take that moment of distraction to carry out their true plan. Something similar to what had happened at Cross Academy years ago, when Zero had been attacked simply so that Kaname would be weak enough to be taken.

But after he realised the blood bond was gone, he didn't know _what_ to think. Not many people knew about their bond, except for his inner circle, and Yagari. It was possible that perhaps an enemy had gotten wind about it somehow, and was using it to attack him.

Whatever the plan was, it was effective.

Kaname could barely focus on anything else; his mind filled solely with thoughts of Zero and their missing bond. He had been in a constant state of agitation and trepidation ever since then, even his impeccable mask cracking slightly. He knew that he was responding exactly the way the culprits would've wanted him to, but it was tremendously difficult for him to calm down; almost impossible, if he were being honest. His aura hung around him like a dark, constricting curtain, threatening to suffocate whoever dared to remain in the same room as him for more than a few seconds. When he had called Seiren to him, asking her to look into Zero's predicament, her concern at seeing him in such a state had been apparent, even if she had made no mention of it.

The pureblood exhaled heavily. He needed to get himself together. He knew that if his Zero were here, he would lightly chastise him for being such an idiot, losing his head over this when a clear mind was crucial in this situation. Kaname smiled slightly as he imagined the angry-yet-worried expression that would be on his lover's face, just like those he had often been subjected to when he had been caught sacrificing sleep to finish up yet another report for work.

Kaname rubbed his bleary eyes, before getting to his feet again, heading towards the door this time.

* * *

Zero was sprawled on his back _above_ the bed covers, jacket and socks strewn haphazardly on the floor. Sometime during his tossing and turning, his red tie had slipped off from around his neck, now lying abandoned on the bed. The hunter was covered in a layer of perspiration, eyebrows knitted together, fists clenched tightly, seemingly in a nightmare of sorts.

Kaname stood by the side of the bed, gazing down at his lover tenderly. He had intended to take a short walk to clear his head, but his feet had led him to this door instead. At first, he hadn't been sure he would be able to enter without the edgy hunter awakening and threatening to empty his bullets into him, but Bloody Rose had been at the same place he'd left it earlier, and the hunter hadn't stirred in the slightest. Probably sleeping off the effects of whatever had been done to him, Kaname had mused.

It was amazing how much Zero's presence calmed him down. Superior to all and any drugs the pharmaceutical labs he owned could ever hope to make. Already, he could feel the tension rolling off his tense shoulders, and the lethargy that had been hanging over him in the library had vanished without a trace. Zero was the drug that Kaname was hopelessly addicted to, making him high enough to soar in the clouds, wishing he would never have to come down. He was like the finest glass of champagne, filling his stomach with delicious, satisfying warmth that spread through every inch of his body, leaving him light-headed and giddy with happiness.

Zero was all Kaname would ever need to feel contented and blissful in life. Nothing else mattered as long as his silver-haired beauty was by his side, greeting him with his dazzling smiles and loving him with the entirety of his sweet, earnest heart.

Swiftly and silently, Kaname picked up Zero's clothing, folding them neatly and placing them on the end table, with Bloody Rose snugly on top. Behind him, an unseen force tugged at the window handle, pushing it open. A light breeze blew in, rustling the curtains and the bed canopy.

When Kaname heard a soft grunt and the rustling of bed sheets, he froze instantly, holding his breath. Had he woken Zero?

For a few heart-stopping seconds, Kaname paused, unmoving, ears closely following the sounds of Zero's breathing, which, thankfully, remained deep and steady. Only when the pureblood was absolutely certain Zero was still sound asleep did he dare turn around, releasing his breath slowly. The hunter had shifted to lie on his side, now turned in his direction, lanky body curled up adorably, reminding him so much of the stray cats he used to see back at the Academy. Footsteps muted by the carpeted floor, Kaname made his way over to the bed, settling himself on the edge quietly.

Gingerly, he tucked away a few strands of the silver hair that had fallen over his beloved's face. Kaname knew he should not tempt fate by going any further, but his hand seemed to have a life of its own, gently running its fingertips over his eyelids, nose, lips – such soft, perfectly sculpted lips! -, before tracing along his jawbone, and pressing its palm softly against the warm, smooth cheek. The pureblood let his eyes flutter close, relishing in the feel of the soft, supple skin under his hand, especially knowing who it belonged to. His heart swelled with happiness and love, all traces of his earlier worry and frustration seeping out of him. He leaned in, closing the distance between them. He could feel Zero's warm breath tickling his cheek, a mere few inches away. Unable to resist, he moved closer, seeking out the other's lips.

They were as soft as ever.

* * *

Zero's eyes snapped open. He jolted up, heart hammering wildly in his chest. This wasn't his room. It wasn't Yuuki's room, or even Cross's. He didn't recognise it, and there was no scent, save for the smell of freshly laundered sheets and a piny fragrance of the night breeze coming in from the open window. He threw his head from side to side, searching for any clues that would give him an idea of where he was. And then his frantic gaze fell upon Bloody Rose, lying calmly near the door, and all the memories of the previous night came flooding back.

The hunter exhaled, forcing his heart to slow to its normal rhythm. No wonder he had no recollection of this room; it was just a guest bedroom at Kuran's villa.

Kuran... Just the mere thought of being in the pureblood's house had his senses prickling and his hair standing on end.

Zero jumped out of bed, scowling at the slight dizziness and wavering of his vision from the sudden drop in blood pressure. He had only taken a step before he realised that his white shirt was hanging limply off his body, buttons undone. What the hell? He definitely did _not_ recall undoing them. His gaze swivelled down sharply. The carpeted floor was spotless, totally void of the articles of clothing he _did_ remember throwing off. A sinking feeling of dread and horror began to emerge as the implications of what that could mean pulled at his thoughts. How had his senses not alerted and awakened him ?

His suspicions were confirmed when he realised his missing clothing was presently folded neatly on the end table, serving as Bloody Rose's cushion. Coupled with the open window, he knew, without any doubt whatsoever, that _someone_ had entered the room while he had been asleep. Not only had the intruder thought it was a good idea to touch his stuff, including his _weapon_, he had also had the balls to _undress_ him. The fact that all these had been done for his sake and comfort was completely ignored and disregarded. It made no difference; in fact, it only fuelled his anger. Zero did_not_ appreciate his privacy being intruded on, _especially_ when it involved having his shirt undone in his sleep by a complete and total stranger. Not even Yuuki would have dared, though perhaps she was the only one he _might_ have forgiven.

There was really only one who would want to aggravate him enough to do something so obtrusive and audacious.

Zero growled, buttoning up his shirt swiftly and irritably with one hand while he stalked over to the door. Grabbing his gun, not even bothering to tuck it away, he twisted the knob and threw the door open, before stomping out of the room, using his hunter senses to pinpoint the vampire presence of one Kuran Kaname.

XXX

Kaname heard the hunter moving around in his room long before the sound of a door being almost ripped off its hinges echoed through the corridors. Though it was obvious Zero was upset about something, probably about his not-so-secretive visit to his room earlier, Kaname was far too distracted by what he had just heard to give it more than a passing thought.

'I'm sorry, could you repeat that again?'

Yagari threw him an irritated scowl.

'You heard me; don't make me waste my breath.'

Kaname's eye twitched at the old hunter's disrespect. But he was right. He _had_ heard him. It was just that his words were too incredulous to believe.

'How could that be...?' he questioned softly, more to himself than to the hunter.

Yagari exhaled in exasperation. It looked like he was going to have to repeat himself _anyway,_ seeing as how the pureblood's mental facilities did not seem to be quite up to functioning levels.

'Like I said, I called up those buddies of mine, wheedling the old bastards for information on what might've happened to Zero.' When the vampire glanced up sharply, he rolled his eyes – _eye_, he corrected mentally - , 'Don't be stupid, of course I didn't mention his name or anything like that. I'm no idiot, Kuran, I know what I'm doing.'

Receiving a relieved nod, he continued. 'As expected, no one's ever heard of a way to break a blood bond. But, they were all going on and on about how, instead of killing one party, you could just pull his past or future self here instead, sending the present one to take that one's place. Effectively, the bond is 'broken', since half of it is in another time.'

'So it's like a body switch?'

'Yeah, exactly,' affirmed the hunter gruffly. 'It's not just the mind that's been switched; it's the whole person, clothes and whatever that's on him at the time the spell is cast, that gets... switched.'

The whole thing sounded like the product of a wild, over-imaginative mind, just like the storylines of those blockbuster movies Zero liked to watch. How was it possible that the hunter in his house, whose skin he had been caressing but an hour ago, was not the one he knew and adored, but his past self? A younger Zero, _innocent_, he would even go so far to say, with no inkling of what was about to happen in the coming years, of how his life as he had known it would change drastically and irrevocably. Sure, after Yagari had explained it again, his memory had stirred, reminding him that he had once read about such a spell, many, _many_ years ago, when he was still just a boy, but that did not mean that it could actually _work_, much less serve as the explanation behind the current situation.

And yet, Kaname thought grudgingly, it made too much sense. It would explain, well, _everything_, actually. About why the necklace he had searched the boy's body for was not anywhere on him. About why he was dressed in his prefect uniform, with Bloody Rose never far from hand. About why Zero remembered nothing of him, or anything else, beyond Yuuki and Cross Academy.

And especially about why there was only a cold, silent emptiness where their bond used to be.

Yagari opened his mouth, seemingly about to say something, but when the door to the living room slammed open violently, almost cracking the wall behind it, both occupants turned to face the new arrival. There was no surprise on their features, both having sensed the approaching presence of the furious boy seconds before his dramatic entrance. Mild annoyance crossed the old hunter's features at the rude interruption, while Kaname's eyes immediately traversed all over Zero's figure, critically scrutinising every inch of the boy.

Now that Kaname was truly concentrating on it, he realised the (_possibility_ of the) truth of Yagari's words. Though outwardly this Zero looked no different from his lover, his scent was slightly different, with no trace of Kaname's smell on him. After years of having shared beds and blood, their scents had changed accordingly, interweaving and blending with each other's completely, such that each could always smell a hint of his lover on himself, and also detect a whiff of himself on the other. Of course, that made it all the more crucial that no one ever got to smell them, which was why Aidou's gifts were extremely precious and never taken off. At this thought, Kaname's gaze fell over the hunter's wrists. Even with the cuffs of the long shirt covering them partially, it was clear that they were bare.

Even the look in his eyes was different. His Zero had been through much suffering and loss over the last few years, and those experiences were reflected in his wise, if weary, amethyst eyes. Eyes that had seen too much of the world's suffering, forcing him to grow up and mature much too quickly. Eyes that spoke volumes of all the anguish and sorrow he had gone through, of all the hurt that had been inflicted upon him, and his own immense guilt over the ones he had inflicted in turn.

If Kaname had to use words to express it, the term 'world-weariness' was the most suitable.

But of course, he knew that despite all the terrible experiences Zero had been through, there had been just as many good ones. Their time, however short, with Yuuki, had been the greatest, most unforgettable days in his own life, and he knew his silver-haired lover thought the same. He also had no doubt that, despite their occasional disagreements and quarrels, Zero loved him just as much as he loved the hunter, and was truly happy and content being by his side, just as he was.

Alongside all the bad experiences, Zero had also learnt what it was like to live his days in true happiness and satisfaction. The pureblood had no qualms about showing and professing his whole-hearted and everlasting love for him, so the hunter was always wrapped in a tight bubble of the pureblood's never-wavering affection and love. Even if he found it annoying and oppressive at times, at least he would never have any doubt of how much he was loved and treasured by his lover.

And that was exactly how Kaname wanted it.

The huge misunderstanding they had gotten into after Yuuki's death, simply because of their lack of courage and miscommunication, had resulted in such disastrous consequences, with Zero feeling, for _months_, no less, that he held absolutely no place in Kaname's life and heart. But even then, thinking he was about to have his will stripped away from him, with a lifetime of serving Kaname as his puppet all that he could look forward to, _even then_, Zero had not run from him. He had waited for the pureblood to show up, ready to give up everything, just because he could not kill him, could not leave him. Even now, Kaname could not help the amazement and awe that swelled up in his heart at the thought, despite the terrible circumstances under which they had occurred. _That_ was how much Zero had loved him. Even believing that Kaname wished to bind his will to him, Zero had still loved him, and had been ready to abandon everything that made him Zero.

Ever since then, Kaname had never let himself hold back his feelings for Zero, letting them all flow through to the hunter, so that Zero would never have any doubt of his place in the pureblood's heart again. The pureblood had vowed that never again would he allow something like that to happen. Never again would he let Zero feel insecure and worthless.

And he had lived up-.

'Kuran, what the hell did you do to me while I was asleep?'

The words, hissed menacingly into his ear, shoved Kaname harshly back into reality like a douse of ice-cold water. Before he could process the fact that Zero was now standing in front of him, he felt a hand roughly grab a fistful of the front of his shirt, dragging him up into a standing position. It never occurred to him to try to resist the hunter, and he let himself be pulled upright onto his feet. Blinking the last of his thoughts away, he found himself staring into Zero's glaring face, with Bloody Rose again pressed menacingly to his chest. That beautiful face he adored so much was so close, so dangerously close. If Kaname just leaned forward a little, pretending to stumble...

'Hey, kiddo, what's got your panties in a twist?'

Both Kaname and Zero started at the sound of Yagari's lazy drawl. Kaname recovered faster, the slightly wistful look on his face swiftly disappearing as he schooled his features into his usual mask. Zero, on the other hand, having marched into the room with all his fury and attention directed towards the pureblood lounging on the couch, not realising there was another hunter presence in the room as well, turned toward the older man in surprise, hands unconsciously releasing Kaname's shirt and also lowering his gun.

'Sensei! You're still here?'

Yagari scratched his chin as he regarded his student thoughtfully.

'Yeah, not getting rid of me that easy.'

This impulsive, energetic boy in front of him was definitely not the mature, level-headed hunter his best student had become, surmised Yagari easily. Despite the calm, accepting demeanour he had shown to Kuran earlier, the old hunter had had his own doubts about what his buddies had mentioned. At that time, he had scoffed at the thought. How could such a thing be possible? He had not been at all surprised that the pureblood's initial response had been exactly the same. It was unthinkable, and incredible, and plain unbelievable.

But, watching the boy in front of him now carefully, Yagari was almost completely convinced. His hunter senses told him that this Zero's power was a far cry from what his student's had reached. It was as clear as day. This Zero, with all his anger and hatred towards the pureblood, was exactly like how Zero had been, years ago, back when he had still been at the Academy. There could be no doubt.

'Kuran,' he began, looking towards the other vampire. 'I believe The Time Switcher spell was cast on him.'

Puzzlement crossed over Zero's face. The Time Switcher spell? He had never heard of such a spell before. And the way his sensei had been studying him quietly, before addressing the pureblood, gave him a very strong inkling that the 'him' Yagari-sensei had mentioned was, in fact, referring to Zero.

His suspicions were confirmed when the pureblood's eyes flickered over him, before he nodded, albeit reluctantly.

'It would appear so.'

Zero furrowed his brows, eyeing the two males, his previous desire to confront Kuran about his earlier visit tossed aside for the moment. It was unthinkable that both his sensei and the pureblood would agree on something. And what bugged him even more than that fact was that what they were agreeing on had something to do with _him_.

'What are you talking about? A spell? On me?'

Then realisation dawned on him.

'Was that why I passed out when I was patrolling?'

Kaname paused, unsure of how much to divulge to the unsuspecting hunter. 'Yes, the spell did that.'

That was a truthful answer, in Kaname's opinion. It _had_ been the spell that had caused him to fall unconscious. He just had not mentioned its _additional_ effects. Like transporting him years into the future, for instance...

Feeling Yagari's piercing stare on him, Kaname turned towards the old hunter. Yagari had an eyebrow raised, a questioning look in his eyes. _Do you want to tell him?_

The pureblood frowned. In such an unbelievable situation, what was the best approach to take? If this spell was something that could be reversed very quickly, perhaps it would be easier to simply keep up the farce, that Kaname was only harbouring Zero here for his own protection. But what if, God forbid, this situation dragged on for some time? He knew it wouldn't take very long before Zero started demanding to see Yuuki, and to return back to the Academy, damn his being targeted. How long could Kaname hope to keep him closed off from the rest of the world? The public knew him as Kuran Kaname's gifted protégée; his inner circle and house staff knew him as Kaname-sama's lover and bondmate. Basically, to remain hiding the truth from Zero, he would have to confine him within the house, not allowing him contact with anyone except those personally approved by Kaname, who knew of the situation and had enough discretion not to say the wrong things, i.e. _not_ Aidou. Even access to the television and internet would have to be, at worse, denied; at best, restricted. It would be no better than forcing Zero to live in prison. And that was_if_ he could manage to get Zero to listen to him obediently.

On the other hand, if he told him about their relationship, Zero would definitely flip out. The vampire-hating Zero from Cross Academy days would never, _ever_, in a million years, be able to accept that he was in a mutual, romantic relationship with the pureblood, living together in their villa, no less. And how would he ever be able to tell him about Yuuki? The hunter would attack him, for sure. What if he tried to kill himself again? What would happen to the spell, and to his lover, if this Zero did manage to do what his lover had - thankfully - failed to all those years ago? He would always have to worry about the hunter and whether he was physically and emotionally coping with the news. The pureblood did not think he could go through that again, especially not when someone was after him, having used the spell to attack Kaname through his lover. He needed to focus all his efforts and attention towards finding the culprit, and not work with half a mind wondering if Zero was okay.

But, there was another way, wasn't there? He could tell Zero about what the spell had done, but hide some facts about this future. Zero did not have to find out about Yuuki, or their bond, at least not for some time. Hopefully, by that time, Kaname would have found a way to reverse the spell, and apprehend the perpetrators responsible. It was not really lying, but just... omission of certain facts.

Satisfied with the course of action he had decided on, Kaname gave Yagari a barely-perceptible nod. The hunter bobbed his head once in acknowledgement, gesturing with a hand towards the clueless hunter standing in front of them, as if to say '_Take it away, then_.'

Kaname exhaled in annoyance. He had assumed the hunter would give him a hand in breaking the news to Zero. Coming from his revered sensei, this Zero would not scoff openly or reject the idea outright. He would perhaps take the time to listen to what he had to say, before making up his mind. But if _he_, the pureblood that this Zero hated with every fibre of his being, was the one telling him, _'__oh, and by the way, guess what, Zero? You've been transported to the future!'_ the hunter was sure to punch him or something to that effect, before stomping off on his own to find his way back to the Academy. He sighed inwardly, knowing he was just stalling for time. _Here goes nothing, _he thought, steeling himself for Zero's reaction.

'Zero, the Time Switcher spell switches past and future selves of a person. You're in the future of the time you're from right now.'

Zero blinked a few times, but otherwise gave no outward indication of having heard his words. Kaname paused for a few seconds, but when it seemed like the hunter was not going to react, he repeated himself.

'You've been transported to the future, Zero. So-'

'Yeah, yeah, you said that already. I'm not deaf, Kuran.'

This time, it was Kaname who found himself blinking in surprise. Wasn't Zero's reaction slightly anti-climactic?

He did not miss the amused smirk playing on Yagari's face.

'No surprise, eh, kid?'

Zero ran a hand through his hair. 'It sounds crazy and impossible, but... I guess it makes some things clear. Like those weird things on the news. And your relationship with Kuran.'

Then he looked Kaname straight in the eyes, causing the other's heart to skip a beat. 'And why he insists on calling me by name. I guess we're on somewhat cordial terms now, huh? Never would've guessed that could ever happen.'

Overcome by surprise at Zero's easy acceptance, all Kaname could do was nod in agreement. To all of his statements. For indeed, the past Kuran Kaname would never have imagined them even being on speaking terms, let alone in a loving relationship.

Zero glanced away, self-disgust and incredulity evident on his face. 'Can't believe I would ever agree to become your protégé, though. What the hell is wrong with future me?'

Kaname had no immediate reply for that. For one, Zero was not _really_ his protégé. At least, not only. And Kaname realised that he had never _actually_ asked if Zero had wanted to take that role. He had just had Takuma announce it to the Night Class, and then started introducing him as such ever since. Of course, no pureblood had ever had to _ask_ a vampire if they would like to please become their protégé. Every vampire would _beg_ to be given such an honour. Except Zero, of course. The hunter defied all traditions and customs in vampire society, not caring in the slightest about how the other vampires thought of him for it. And Kaname loved him so much more for it. For not giving a 'rat's ass', as he had once so eloquently put it, about Kaname's position in society, or having to maintain appearances in public. Because of that, the pureblood could totally relax and be himself around his lover. He could never be able to do that with any other vampire, even those of his inner circle, because to them, he was Kuran Kaname, pureblood vampire, owner of Cross Academy, shrewd and powerful businessman. But with Zero, he was just Kaname. Lover and bondmate. He had no obligations, no roles to play, except to love and cherish his lover. And that was no act.

Anyway, back to the protégé business. He had only come up with that because he had needed a believable reason to explain why he was giving Zero so much of his time and care. But he _had_ wanted to give Zero something to live for, something that would push him to work hard. And their sparring sessions had successfully managed to drag out from the boy the old fire and spirit everyone was so used to seeing, instead of the dead, empty shell he had become after Yuuki's death. So, in reply to Zero's question...

'A lot of things happened that led up to that,' Kaname said quietly, eyes darkening as he relived the old memories.

Zero's eyes narrowed at the vague reply, a sarcastic retort at the tip of his tongue, but at Yagari's slight shake of the head, he faltered, words remaining trapped in his throat. Frustration and annoyance built up in him. Was he just supposed to accept this? It was unthinkable that he had _agreed _to become Kuran Kaname's protégé, and he wanted, no, _needed_, to know the damned reason things had ended up this way. Had Cross Kaien somehow managed to coerce him into this? Had he almost fallen to E but had somehow wound up in the pureblood's debt? Try as he might, none of the scenarios he was capable of imagining would explain why he had ended up in the servitude of a _vampire_, especially one he had loathed for _years_, ever since he first laid eyes on him. Even despite his sensei's obvious desire for him to not question any further, he was almost tempted to shake the answers out of the pureblood.

But not right now. There were more important questions he needed answered.

'Where is Yuuki in this time?'

Had both of them, including his usually stoic and calm sensei, just jumped at his question? Suspicion had his voice raising a few notches as he repeated his question, eyes burrowing into the two men as he waited impatiently for their reply.

'Yuuki, she...' began Yagari gruffly, before he shot a glance at the pureblood, seemingly unsure of how to continue.

Kuran aimed an exasperated glare at the old hunter, before he turned towards Zero, mouth opening.

'Yuuki and Chairman Cross are both still at Cross Academy. For certain reasons, I am no longer a student there, though the vampires of my inner circle still remain there. The co-existence plan is very much still in effect, with an extra hunter class having been added to the school. Vampires, humans and hunters now live and study alongside one another in the Academy.'

Though his words had been in reply to the question about Yuuki, Kaname had managed to smoothly manoeuver the direction of his reply until it touched upon the Academy. He had hoped that the news about the new hunter class would distract Zero enough that he eased up on questioning about Yuuki, at least for the time being, until Kaname managed to come up with a better plan and story.

And thankfully for him, it seemed to work.

'A hunter class? That's ridiculous. There's no way they would ever be able to get along with the Night Class.'

Swiftly overcoming and masking his initial surprise at the Kaname's smooth lie, Yagari did his part, letting out an indifferent grunt.

'Yeah, well, can't stop the occasional clashes. But all in all, things are going pretty well there. Who would've thought, huh? The three races all living in harmony.'

Inwardly, Kaname sighed in relief that the old hunter had not given anything away. His initial response to Zero's question had been too suspicious, and he had almost told him the truth. Thank goodness Kaname had managed to jump in quickly before anything else had happened.

Zero nodded in affirmation with what his sensei had said. Then he furrowed his brows again.

'So I'm assuming we've already graduated, Yuuki and I? So where do I stay now? And why is she still at the Academy?'

Kaname groaned inwardly. It looked like Zero had not been so easily side-tracked after all. But _these_ questions, he could answer effortlessly. As long as the hunter did not demand for the nitty-gritty details, or decide he wanted to go visit them, Kaname would be able to handle his queries.

'Just like that news report said, you're currently living in my house,' he answered. Spying the beginnings of a horrified and disgusted look starting to form on Zero's face, Kaname continued, 'It's only to be expected when a pureblood takes a protégé. Shadowing the pureblood throughout his daily activities and remaining close at hand is the best way for the protégé to learn and be taught.'

It was not a lie, what Kaname had said about protégés, because most purebloods _did_ have their protégés follow them around all day. Most of them also did have them stay in their houses as well, because it was so much more convenient for their training.

And also because most of them developed romantic and/or sexual relationships with their protégés.

So really, it had been to no one's surprise that Kuran Kaname and Kiryuu Zero were living together. If members of the public ever thought the behaviour uncharacteristic of the elusive and private pureblood, they would automatically assume – not incorrectly, as it would turn out - that Kaname was also using his ex-human to fulfill his physical desires.

Though he would not mention that fact to Zero, of course.

'Yuuki chose to stay behind at the Academy with Headmaster Cross, to help him run the school and to take over the reins in the future,' he added. The lies were flowing out so smoothly, with no trace of hesitation in his tone or guilt on his calm, sincere features. Even Yagari found himself almost believing the pureblood's words, despite knowing the real truth.

Zero's jaw fell open. 'Yuuki? _Headmaster_?'

Kaname could not help giving a little chuckle at the incredulous expression on his face, causing both hunters' eyes to snap over to him in surprise. Clearing his throat, the pureblood quickly recovered his composure.

'Yes. Yuuki grew up to be quite the responsible young woman.'

Zero stared at the pureblood. Warmth had crept into his eyes and tone, and despite his obvious best efforts, the corners of his lips had turned up slightly as Yuuki occupied the pureblood's thoughts. This, together with the laugh – Kuran had_laughed_? He still could not wrap his mind around the revelation that that self-important, proud pureblood could actually _laugh_, not just smirk and sneer at him – showed Zero how different the pureblood had become. The Kuran Kaname he had known and hated had _never_ shown his emotions. Even with Yuuki, his omnipresent pleasant yet reserved mask had never slipped, at least not in his presence. And, towards him, the pureblood had only ever spared a cool, withering gaze, filled with undisguised scorn and contempt.

Never had he _chuckled_ at him.

Mind still sputtering in shock and disbelief, Zero turned his back on the two males in the room, clutching his gun so tightly that his knuckles turned white. This was way too strange. Knowing in theory that he was in the future was one thing, but actually experiencing for himself the differences? That was just too much for him to accept all at once. The more he had asked, the more the gravity of the situation had finally started to sink in.

He was trapped here, in an unknown time, where everything in his life had changed drastically. Suddenly he was parted from his adopted – dare he say it? – father and sister, no longer a prefect in Cross Academy, but _living together_ with the pureblood as his protégé.

What was he going to do here until they found a way to reverse the spell? This was not his life; there was no way he could just fall into it and play the part.

And what if they _never_ managed to undo the spell? What if he remained in this time forever?

Zero shuddered involuntarily. That could _not_ be allowed to happen. He could never live like this, even if his future self had somehow hit himself on the head and decided to submit himself to his enemy's tutelage. The only comfort he had was that knowing what he did now, once he was back in his rightful time, he could take steps and preventive measures to make sure all these never came to pass. Even in the worst case scenario, he could just remain at the Academy with Yuuki and Cross and serve as mentor to the hunter apprentices. What could have happened that had been so horrible that becoming the pureblood's protégé and living together in his house had been the best solution? Whatever it was, he _would_ find out, and he would make sure his future _never_ led to this. Serving under a pureblood... Even if Kuran had lightened up, and seemed to be less of a prick towards him, it did not change the fact that he, a vampire hunter, was submitting to and learning from a _pureblood_. The very thing he hated. The very thing that was the reason for his very miserable and pathetic existence as an ex-human. How could he, under any circumstances _at all_, have just gone along with such a stupid and ridiculous idea? The him now would rather _die_ than agree to such a thing.

How much had Kiryuu Zero changed? Had he lost himself? Submitted to his vampire instincts to obey authority?

It was such a terrifying thought.

The hunter gritted his teeth. His future self might have totally lost his mind, but _he_ could still stop himself from going down that same path. As long as he was extra careful. As long as he remained clear about who his enemy was.

He would _never_ submit to Kuran Kaname.

'Zero?'

The hunter bristled at the concern in the pureblood's tone. No, this was not how it was meant to be. They were _enemies_. Theirs was never supposed to be an amiable relationship.

'I'm too tired for this. I'm gonna go back to bed.'

Then he paused, glancing behind him long enough to throw the pureblood a warning glare, raising his gun to emphasize his words.

'Don't you _dare_ come in this time, or I swear I'll put some silver in you.'

And then, with a nod towards his sensei, he strode out of the room, without another backward glance.

* * *

With a weary sigh, Kaname leaned back on the recliner chair in his study, the crease in his eyebrows and shadow in his eyes betraying the grim thoughts swirling around in his mind.

Just when he had thought that maybe, just _maybe_, this Zero would be able to calmly accept the situation, hence reducing the headache this situation was becoming, the hunter's mood and manner had abruptly changed, returning him to his usual vampire-hating self.

Kaname raised a hand to rest over his eyes, blocking out his vision, wishing that it could block out this whole awful situation instead. Even though it had only been a few hours since they were last together, he missed his Zero terribly. How was he going to get through this, without the reassuring, unwavering support of his lover? For this indefinite period of time, Zero was inaccessible to him, beyond even _his_ reach. Even as he sat here, as good as alone in their house, his dear hunter was eons away, not even in the same_ timeframe_ as he was in. That was almost equivalent to being in different dimensions, or universes, wasn't it? All those times Zero had gone off on his missions, leaving Kaname waiting and pining for him for unbearably long hours, at least he had only ever been only a few hours away. And Kaname had always had the knowledge and existence of their blood bond to comfort and ground him. But now, he had absolutely nothing to hold on to, nothing to take strength from.

The past few hours, Kaname had firmly not allowed himself time to worry and wonder about his lover's predicament, fearing the distraction it would create to the important research he had had to do about this situation. God knew how much their missing bond had distracted him from his political and business work. But now, having not just Seiran and Yagari, but also his inner circle, researching all they could about The Time Switcher spell, especially how to reverse it, Kaname had finally found a second to be alone with his thoughts and unease. Only now did he finally allow his mask to crumble totally, anxiety and concern for his lover surfacing immediately.

If the spell had worked as it should, his Zero would have been transported back into the past. Back to Cross Academy, presumably. If this Zero had been in Yuuki's presence when he passed out, then his Zero would probably awaken with her next to him. For some reason, that thought comforted Kaname immensely, easing his worry somewhat and almost pulling his lips into a smile. Even if he himself did not get a chance to, he was glad that his lover would be able to enjoy Yuuki's company again. Both of them loved her equally much, but for the hunter, who used to spend all his time in school with her by his side, her absence must have been extremely hard to handle. For his lover, it would probably be like a dream, being able to meet Yuuki again. Unlike Kaname, it was actually possible that Zero could enjoy himself during their separation. And that was a small consolation to the pureblood. That at least his lover would not feel all alone and lost in that time, because Yuuki would be there for him. Dear, sweet, loving Yuuki, who would shower him with her affections and comfort, even if Kaname could not.

Even right at this moment, his Zero might be happy and relaxed, spending as much time as he could with Yuuki. Things would be good for him, Kaname concluded, warmth suffusing his heart. _What a relief..._

Then a sudden thought struck him.

What if Zero, thinking it was simply a dream, went to seek out the Kaname of that time, and treated him like his lover? After all, he would not know any better. There was no reason for him _not_ to, especially if he thought it was all just a dream.

The pureblood visibly paled. Though it had been many years, he could still remember how he had used to treat the hunter back while they were still at school. He had been jealous over how close he was to Yuuki, and that had led to his growing hatred of the boy, even though Zero's fierce and loyal protection of her had served him too well for him to get rid of the insolent, disrespectful prefect.

However, he knew that regardless of the hunter's usefulness, the old Kuran Kaname would not have the tolerance and patience to try to understand, if Zero were to suddenly treat him not just like a friend, but as a _lover_. Or, his heart sinking with dread and fear as the thought crossed his mind, if he discovered his mother's memory necklace in his possession. He would not hesitate to hurt the hunter, if that was what was needed to get the truth.

And Zero could be _very_ stubborn, a fact he knew all too well.

Kaname inhaled deeply, struggling to calm himself. There was nothing to worry about. Zero was not the type who would do something as romantic as to randomly give his dream lover a hug and a kiss. He would likely act as how the Yuuki and Kuran in the scene expected him to. Or so he hoped. And as long as Zero did not give anything away, or reveal the memory necklace to Kuran, there would be no problems. None at all. Zero would be able to pass his time there in happiness and warmth. He would, wouldn't he?

The pureblood hissed softly, frustrated to no end that, for now, all he could do was hope.

And so, hope was what he did, as he lay alone in the darkness of his study, while a warped version of his lover, a Zero who hated his guts and would not hesitate to put a bullet in him, lay asleep at the other end of the house.

_Zero... Please come back to me soon..._

* * *

Thank you for reading! Feel free to tell me what you think! I apologise if them finding out about the spell seemed so conveniently fast. I wanted to spend more time on their relationship from here on out, and that couldn't happen if they didn't realise the truth. Hehehe.

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**gleish26**: Awww thank you for loving it :) that made me unbelievably happy heehee. I can't give away what going to happen because I'm just writing it as it comes HAHAHA. I've considered a few ideas for what the ending could be like, and I really, really like your idea as well, so thanks for the idea! If I use it, I'll be sure to credit you :):) No problem at all; I love receiving reviews, especially long ones, so feel free to write more hahaha. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and I hope to hear from you again soon!

**Siren Dreams**: Haha thank you for the review! :) I hope you enjoy this chapter! :):) See you soon!

**Hi (guest reviewer): **Hello! I wasn't quite sure how far to go with that scene, actually. But it felt like past Kaname would not have been able to accept seeing something like that so easily, so I had to make it a bit more extreme even though it was kind of hard to write as well. Regarding your questions: I'd originally planned to write this story without overlapping Blackened Wing's story. In my mind, the past that I had Zero sent back to, was supposed to be far before the beginning of her Crimson Door, i.e. before Kaname ever gives Zero his blood in his room that night, when they are discovered by Aidou. I had no plans for them to try to change the future, because *SUPER SPOILER that I don't know if I should be mentioning, but since you asked... :)* they were never meant to remain in the foreign times for very long. The idea is very tempting, though. I shall see how my muse proceeds, and consider it as I go along, but for now, I think I will probably stick to that original plan. Or maybe I'll do it in a separate fic after this one is over hahaha. Nevertheless, I hope you continue to enjoy this story :) once again, thank you for all your support and reviews! Looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter as well! (No pressure, though LOL) :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Chapter 6! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter :D

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB**.

* * *

_PAST_

'_Zero.._.'

Zero blinked. He was lying on his bed in his dorm room, he realised, as his gaze swept the room languidly. It was dark outside, with stars peeking out here and there across the night sky. A cool breeze wafted into his room through the open window, bringing with it the scent of the flora and fauna outside. It was so peaceful being back here in this familiar room. It was as if nothing had changed from the last time he had been here. Well, technically, since he was back in the past, it had not. The arrangement of the furniture was exactly as he remembered them; his belongings all precisely where he kept them. The only thing missing was... Bloody Rose.

Back in his present time, the hunter did not carry his gun around with him around the house, especially not when he had just woken up and was about to prepare breakfast for his lover. But he knew his old self carried the weapon on him all the time, regardless of where he was going and who he would be with. So Zero had not been at all surprised to find the gun missing from where he used to keep it under the pillows when he was sleeping.

'Zero.'

He sat upright with a jolt, head snapping around to the source of the low voice. He had thought he had heard his name earlier, but it had been so soft he had thought it must have just been the whispering of the wind, or his ears playing tricks on him. He had not sensed any presence in his room, so his internal alarms had not gone off.

But now, the voice was clearly audible, though still quiet. And he could clearly feel the presence of the intruder, standing right beside his bed. How had he not sensed him approaching? As his eyes rose to meet the other's, they confirmed what his senses were telling him.

'Kaname?'

A second too late, he remembered that the vampire standing beside him now was not his dear, sweet lover, but someone who saw him as an enemy; as a competitor and an eyesore. He still could not get used to the fact that he was now in the past. Shaking his head slightly and shooting the pureblood an apologetic look, he corrected himself quickly.

'No, sorry. Kuran. What are you doing here?'

Despite his outwardly calm façade, Zero could not help the wariness in his tone. If he had not sensed the vampire's approach, it probably meant that Kaname had been suppressing his aura. Meaning the pureblood had been trying to sneak up on him. The only reason that this Kaname would do that... well, it probably was not for the purpose of a casual social call.

The hunter's fingers twitched, aching to be wrapped around safe, reassuring metal. He almost wished that he had thought to bring Bloody Rose with him down to the kitchen, just so that he would have an edge over the pureblood now. For he knew if Kaname wanted to attack him, a similar result to what had happened in the forest earlier would ensue. Perhaps he would be able to give as good as he got, and injure the pureblood as he had managed to previously, but he highly doubted he would be able to subdue him _enough_. His senses were telling him that the pureblood was back at full power, with the hunter poison probably already gone without a trace. Running an eye over him, he could see no visible wounds, nor could he smell any of the blood that he had managed to shed in their earlier conflict.

'"Kuran?" Why so cold, Zero?'

Zero's brows furrowed at the unexpected reply. Before he could ponder any further, the pureblood continued smoothly, a smirk starting to form on his face.

'After everything we've been through, everything I saw in the necklace, I really doubt we're still on last name basis.'

The hunter's eyes widened in shock. He definitely had not expected _that _kind of reaction from the pureblood regarding the memories in the necklace. Even though he had been unconscious during that time, he had seen this Kaname's strong reaction to seeing that one, mild memory. It was not at all difficult to imagine what seeing the other ones would have done to him.

'What's going on with you?' hissed Zero, confusion and apprehension building up as the pureblood positioned himself on the edge of his bed, still staring at him with that smirk adorning that handsome, perfect face. Though the vampire in front of him looked and smelled so much like his lover, his manner and personality were unmistakably worlds apart. He could never again mistake this pureblood for his lover. And after all the violence and bloodshed in the forest earlier, it was difficult for Zero not to feel cagey and distrustful around this Kaname. He was capable of anything, with clearly no qualms when it came to hurting him in order to achieve his goals.

'I'm simply... curious,' replied the pureblood, smirk growing wider. He shifted himself closer to the hunter, who automatically shuffled backwards using his hands and heels to maintain the distance between them, inadvertently bringing himself closer to the headboard.

'About what?' growled the hunter, discomfort and agitation evident on his face. What was the pureblood planning? What sort of attack was he trying to carry out? Whatever it was, he needed to stay alert and not let his guard down just because this vampire looked so much like his lover.

When the pureblood moved even closer to him, Zero unconsciously adjusted himself backward again, then cursed softly, forcing himself to remain motionless and to stop backing himself into a corner. Literally. But even though he had stopped, Kaname continued shifting forward, his body heat and scent enveloping Zero. As the familiar, heady scent filled Zero's nostrils, his body instantly and instinctively responded to having his lover so close to him. His bite mark tingled, and heat spread through his body - his cheeks, his ears, his chest, and, most prominently, down _there_. All too quickly, Zero found his heart rate speeding up, breathing unsteady. Inwardly, he cursed himself violently. How was it that just the mere _scent_ of the pureblood had him reduced to such a pathetic, needy, quivering wreck? He needed to get away, before he ended up doing something ridiculously stupid.

Swiftly turning his head away from the alluring scent before him, Zero swung his legs off the side of the bed, the heel of his hand pushing off from the bed as he made to rise from the bed.

But a firm, sharp yank of his arm had him tumbling back onto the sheets, his awkward position resulting in him losing his balance and landing on his back. The next second, the pureblood was leaning over him, arms supporting his weight on either side of Zero's head, knees nudging Zero's legs into position between them, pressing against the outside of the hunter's hips and holding them steadfastly in place. Zero was effectively trapped between the mattress and the pureblood's body.

The hunter scowled up at his captor, stubbornly refusing to struggle against his hold.

Not that he could not eventually escape, of course. But that would involve some violence, and he was loathe to be the one to initiate the aggression. It also helped that the body pressed up against his was that of his lover, albeit the younger version of it. His already high-strung body became even more hyperaware of the heat and closeness, arms yearning to wrap around the warm, familiar body, lips aching to press against the other's. He cleared his mind of such obscene thoughts quietly, yelling at his libido that this was _not_ his lover.

But his mind instantly lost track of such thoughts when Kaname leaned down, positioning his face mere inches away from his. The pureblood's unique, delicious scent completely filled Zero's senses, clouding his mind and filling it only with Kaname. How those captivating eyes were staring intensely into his, as if staring right into his very soul; how his skin looked so alluringly soft and smooth; how his hair hung down in gentle wisps, tickling his own cheeks; how those sweet lips were so close to his, so close that if he just moved his head forward a little, he would be able to taste and savour them...

_No, get a hold of yourself, idiot, _scolded the hunter. _This is _not_Kaname! Stop thinking such stupid, perverted thoughts and start trying to think of a way out of this situation instead!_

With effort that had him tightly gritting his teeth, Zero maintained an unaffected, almost bored, expression on his face.

'What do you think you're doing, Kuran?'

Even to his ears, his voice was strained and edgy. He swore inwardly when Kaname brought his face even closer, a knowing look playing across his features. Zero tried to turn his head away, but the pureblood grabbed his chin with one hand and held him still, leaning his forehead against his.

Unable to look away, all Zero could do was get lost in other vampire's gaze, even as their noses pressed together, and the pureblood's breath caressed his lips. Dimly, he thought of trying to struggle, but his body protested vehemently at that idea, refusing to obey his mental commands to move.

When the hand gripping his chin slid upwards slowly to cup his cheek in its warm embrace, a small shudder ran down Zero's spine. Just that innocent action sent tendrils of heat and pleasure unfurling and spreading all through his body. Having become accustomed to receiving pleasure from the pureblood's touch, Zero's body was extremely sensitive when it came to Kaname, with even the barest of touches inciting unbelievably delightful sensations. Despite his best efforts to control himself, Zero could not stop his trembling and slight breathlessness. He swallowed hard, willing himself not to give in, no matter how good it felt.

The pureblood's soft chuckle had him jolting in alarm as the body pressed so snugly against his rubbed against his eager body, sending more delicious heat spreading out from every point of contact. Zero bit back a cry, squeezing his eyes shut to try to block out the overwhelming sensations. Was there something wrong with him or what? His body was way overreacting to every little thing! It was as if his body had been starved of affection for _weeks_; as if he had not just spent hours with his lover just the previous day.

'What I'm doing, Zero, is giving my hunter some love.'

Before Zero's brain could process the pureblood's words, his lips were covered by Kaname's soft, warm ones. Eyes widening in surprise, he parted them, about to protest, but Kaname used that opportunity to slip his tongue into his mouth, swallowing up Zero's surprised gasp. Although Zero's mind swum with panic and desperation to escape, his body melted totally under the pureblood, satisfied that it was finally receiving the loving and touches it had been desperately craving for. His lips and tongue responded automatically, mirroring Kaname's actions, playing and teasing against the foreign lips and tongue, tasting and soaking in as much of the pureblood as was possible. Against his will, Zero's arms curled up behind the pureblood, hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt to pull him closer. Again, he felt the pureblood chuckling, but this time, the sound and vibrations reverberated and amplified within his mouth, magnifying the pleasure that poured forth into his quivering body. Zero moaned softly, almost delirious by all the sensations Kaname was wringing out of him. All thoughts of resistance had been erased completely from his mind, replaced with a deep, desperate desire for _more. More _contact, _more _heat, _more_ pleasure, _more_Kaname.

Throwing all caution to the wind, he wrapped his shaky arms around the pureblood's body, pressing him tightly to him, tongue continuing to dance with Kaname's, their breaths mingling and filling what little space existed between them. Lips locked in a passionate kiss, limbs tangled in a loving embrace – this felt so right, no matter what the rational part of Zero's brain was arguing. _Here, _in the pureblood's arms, was where he belonged. Forever and always. How could he ever have any doubt? What did it matter which version of the pureblood held him now? It felt equally right. Equally pleasurable.

And then, abruptly, Kaname pulled away, leaving his body suddenly cold and lonely. Zero let out a cry of protest, so hopelessly lost in the haze of pleasure he was submerged in that he did not immediately notice the change in the pureblood. His arms clung stubbornly onto Kaname – or was it Kuran? He didn't even remember anymore. And what did it matter anyway, really? -, unwilling and unable to let that delightful warmth leave him even for a second. But when his arms were forcibly pried apart and wrenched away, body pushed roughly back against the sheets, eyes that he had not realised were closed snapped open. What he saw had the thick fog in his mind dissipating immediately, like strong gales of wind swiftly clearing it away.

Kaname was crouched in front of him, eyes blood red, mouth open in a menacing snarl, all his teeth sharpened into lethal, pointed fangs. His hand were raised and curled, displaying nails that had been lengthened into deadly claws, all aimed toward him. Gone was any trace of humour, or civility, even, in his eyes. The only thing Zero could glimpse in them was the predatory glint directed his way, much like how a lion would eye its cornered prey in triumph and anticipation, knowing victory was his.

And it was.

As Zero watched in horror, frozen to the spot, one hand shot out with lightning speed to pierce and tear into his chest without hesitation. Zero's mouth opened in a cry of pained anguish, but his voice caught in his throat, not a sound making its way out. He felt rather than saw Kaname's hand continue onward into his body, only stopping once it reached his heart. Long fingers wrapped around the pumping organ, grabbing it so forcefully that Zero would have screamed, if only he still had control over his voice. Before he knew what was happening, the pureblood jerked his hand back violently, teeth glinting in a vicious and cruel smile.

Stars exploded in Zero's vision, leaving him reeling in white blindness. Excruciating pain emanated from the hole in his chest where his heart used to be, all the nerves torn and destroyed.

It hurt. It hurt so badly that he wanted to scream and cry, even if he had never been the kind of person to show weakness and vulnerability. This was just too painful to take in silence.

But he could not scream. Could not cry. Could not do anything more than let out a strangled gasp and collapse against the mattress, hearing his damaged heart beating unsteadily in Kaname's hand, smelling his own blood pouring out of him and painting everything in its path red.

'W...h...?' he managed to choke out. Even if he had to die, he needed to know. Why so suddenly. The pureblood had never hidden his contempt and dislike towards him, but never had he shown him violence.

Until now.

Zero heard a mirthless laugh echo around the room, before a cold hand gripped his throat tightly, claws tearing skin and flesh and drawing fast-depleting blood. His body jerked at the sudden contact, but otherwise, he was still immobile and silent.

'Because how can I accept being bound to an ex-human?'

And then another explosion of pain overwhelmed him, before he was able to sink gratefully into the welcome arms of dark unconsciousness.

* * *

Zero jerked upright, gasping and choking. One hand clutched at his chest, which still throbbed with the echoes of mind-numbing, piercing pain. His frantic gaze shot down beneath his shirt, desperately needing to confirm what his hand was telling him. With relief, he discovered the skin, though pale and covered in a sheen of cold sweat, was smooth and unblemished, no trace of anything having plunged violently through. He could feel his heart exactly where it was supposed to be, pounding rapidly but normally under his hand. Zero sagged back onto the damp sheets, letting his eyes flutter shut to block out the memories playing out in his mind. Forcing himself to take long deep breaths, he tried to calm himself down, to stop his ragged breathing and his accelerated pulse.

_Just a dream, that's all it was_, he repeated over and over in his mind. _Just one hell of a dream._

He could still feel the sensation of warm lips moulding skilfully over his, the passion of another tongue exploring his mouth and battling with his own, the heat of that familiar body pressed up against his, sending waves of pleasure crashing through him. And then, the horror and shock of having his heart ripped right out of his chest replacing all sensations. His chest pulsed painfully as he relived the scene. The unbearable agony. The inability to control any part of his body. The terror and betrayal he had felt.

Shaking his head violently to erase those memories, he willed his racing heart to slow, pushing away all thoughts of the dream. Because that was all it had been. Even if had felt so real that he could not tell if he was still dreaming.

_No, _he told himself firmly. _Kuran Kaname would never do something like that by his own hands, not when he could just command one of his vampires to do the dirty work for him. After all, why would he want to sully himself with the blood of a Level D?_

Although the grim thought of how he was likely to die did nothing to lessen the ache in his heart, at least it reassured him to some extent, giving him a rational thought to hold onto and believe in, no matter how false it might turn out to be.

Once his breathing was as normal as he could manage, he opened his eyes slowly, letting them sweep across the room. Like in his dream, he was in his dorm room, shrouded in the darkness of night, with only starlight basking the room in a dim, pale glow. Just to be safe, he let his senses scan the area, breath escaping in a relieved whoosh when they picked up no trace of any other vampire ever having been there.

As he let his gaze rise to the ceiling above him, the memories of the past few hours came creeping back, allowing him to fill the time gap between the fight in the forest and to waking up in his room.

* * *

'The Time Switcher spell?' echoed Zero mutely, staring up blankly at the pureblood.

Kaname nodded distractedly, trying to draw out whatever information he could remember from those few pages he had managed to recall.

'It's a vampire charm, but very old and extremely unheard of. Most vampires and hunters have probably never heard of it before.'

'So what, it switches-'

Zero broke off midsentence to take a step back, while Kaname turned to him in slight amusement. One micro-second later, something zipped through the exact spot the hunter had been, moving so fast that all a human would have been able to see would be a faint blurring of the trees behind, and the sudden stirring of the blades of grass.

But Zero was clearly able to pick out the figure of one Hanabusa Aidou.

'Kiryuu, how _dare_ you hurt Kaname-sama?' snarled the blonde as he spun on his heel to glare at him. 'You filthy D, you have no rightto even _look_ at him! I'll kill you for your audacity!'

And then, he leapt forward, claws extended, ready to tear the ex-human in front of him to shreds.

'Stop.'

That single word was all it took to pull him abruptly back and root him to the ground. Kaname's command had been soft, but it was more than enough. Aidou growled menacingly, glaring daggers at the hunter, but otherwise did nothing else towards him, held back by his pureblood's order.

Silently, Zero regarded the blonde vampire. As impulsive and loyal as always. The Aidou that existed in his time had not changed one bit, still a hot-headed spitfire and blindly devoted to his precious Kaname-sama. Zero had never thought that he would ever be able to get along with Aidou, but they had actually become good friends, much to both their surprises. The hatred that had been omnipresent in the blonde's eyes toward him had gradually lessened, and eventually faded. His own contempt and disgust of the noble, too, had faded with time. Both of them had realised how much they had in common – their interest in charms, their protectiveness over Kaname – and although they would die before ever admitting it, they respected and admired each other.

But the Aidou in front of him now was not the one he had grown to think of as a friend. This was the one who still hated his guts, who looked down on him and called him a D; the one who had not discussed and researched together with him on charms, who had not done all he could to save him after the disastrous flood. This Aidou would not hesitate to kill him, and would have attempted to do so already if not for Kaname.

'You bastard, wipe that stupid smirk off your face!' hissed Aidou.

Zero blinked in surprise. Smirk? With widened eyes, he realised that the corners of his lips had tugged upwards, without him having realised. But not in a smirk, as the blond noble had assumed, but a _smile. _An actual, honest to goodness smile. He had _smiled _at seeing Hanabusa Aidou. Because he had been truly happy to see him.

The hunter baulked at the thought. _No way..._

Then his senses prickled, warning him of the vampire presences approaching the three of them. Zero had no doubt of who they were, so he waited mutely and motionlessly as Kaname's inner circle flanked the pureblood, all glaring furiously and threateningly at him, eyes tinged red from the delicious scent of pureblood blood hanging in the still air. None of them dared make a move towards Zero, although the burning desire to avenge their pureblood's spilt blood was clearly reflected in each of their gazes. The snarling Aidou standing tensely but unmovingly in front of the hunter was a clear message that Kaname did not want them to attack. And so they waited for his orders, death glares aimed towards the silver-haired hunter.

Zero had taken a second to look over each of their faces, faces that looked almost exactly like those in his time, except those were more than just 'Kaname's inner circle', but were also on the short list of people he could call 'friends'. They had proved their loyalty to not just Kaname, but to him as well, throughout all those years of hardship.

They had earned much more than his friendship.

They had earned his _trust_.

And for Zero, that was not something he gave away lightly.

So all these faces around him were of vampires that he cherished and cared for, even though intense rage and hatred were evident on each of their faces. Zero had to remind himself that, just like Kaname, these were not the vampires he knew.

'Calm down,' commanded Kaname smoothly and calmly, drawing the attention of all the vampires present.

'But, Kaname-sama, he dared to hurt you! How can we just let him get away with that?' protested Aidou wildly, spinning around to address the pureblood with a pleading, imploring look. Behind Kaname, Ruka nodded in assent, face hardening.

'All of you, return to the dorm. I will handle this myself,' demanded Kaname, disregarding Ruka and Aidou's violent protests.

As all the vampires bowed in respect, turning away reluctantly and preparing to return to the dorm, Kaname called, 'Takuma. You stay behind.'

'Aidou should stay too,' added the hunter quietly, steadfastly ignoring the glares that were once again thrown his way. Glancing up at the pureblood who had an eyebrow raised, he explained, 'He's good with charms and spells.'

Aidou sputtered, face turning red with anger.

'How dare a lowly D like you address a noble by name? And who the hell do you think you are to presume to have any idea of what I'm good at!?'

If Zero had not felt so annoyed by the blonde's continued arrogance and contempt, he would have found his bemused anger amusing. As it was, he shot the noble a cold, silent glare, before addressing Kaname again.

'He'll be useful.'

The pureblood was silent for a second, before he nodded. 'Alright. Aidou, you stay too then.'

All the other vampires' eyes widened. Had Kuran Kaname, pureblood and Night Class President, just listened to a lowly ex-human's opinion? Never had Kaname ever treated the ex-human civilly, and now he was taking _advice_ from him?

Aidou was the most shocked, jaw dropping and eyes widening to saucers. How dare that ex-human!? How dare he demand that he stayed behind? Who did he think he was? He wanted to tell him to go to hell, and that he, Hanabusa Aidou, would _never _do anything that he wanted.

But with great effort, he held his tongue back. It was behaviour highly uncharacteristic of him, going against everything that he was made of, but he had to. He _wanted_ to stay. He wanted to know what was so important and secretive that his Kaname-sama and that filthy D were alone in the forest. The hunter's casual mention of charms and spells had piqued his interest. When he had been young, he had always been greatly fascinated by them, often pulling Kain and Ruka in to assist him. More often that not, his practice of them had gotten all three of them in trouble with their elders, but Aidou had managed to grow his knowledge of charms and hone his natural talent at them. He knew their intricate workings and their deadly flaws, and which worked best during different situations.

He was, he would daresay, an expert on them.

But how would the hunter have known about that? He doubted even Kaname-sama knew, probably not even noticing that all the library books he read were that of charms. _Not that that was his fault of course_, defended Aidou immediately. The pureblood was buried up to his neck in paperwork about much more important things.

'Aidou, are you okay?'

With a jolt, Aidou realised that the other vampires had all left, leaving only the four of them standing in the grass. Takuma was gazing worriedly at him, having been the one to ask the question. In horror, he realised that Kaname too was looking down expectantly at him.

'I'm fine!'

Zero folded his arms over his chest, watching with amusement as the blonde vampire flushed red and reassured his Kaname-sama that he was 'totally fine' and all but begged the pureblood to continue.

'This is something that no one else must know about, unless I tell you otherwise. Do you understand?'

When both vampires nodded their assent, bowing with a hand over their heart, Kaname continued.

'Have either of you ever heard of the Time Switcher spell?'

Because Zero was observing him so closely, he saw the flash of recognition in Aidou's eyes. His heart skipped a beat. Was it possible that he might know something about it? The blonde's brightening face and enthusiastic reply confirmed his hopes.

'Kaname-sama, I think I read about it once when I was young!'

Glancing at him sharply, Kaname enquired, 'What can you tell me about it?'

Aidou flushed, looking down slightly. 'It was a really long time ago, so I can't really remember. All I can recall is that it's an old vampire spell that switches past and future selves of a person.'

'Future...,' Kaname's face paled slightly. Was it true then? Was this Zero from the future? But that would mean the two of them would end up in _that_ type of relationship. How was that possible? He had to get the full story from the hunter. But before that, he needed to know more about the spell. Who would bother to target a lowly ex-human? One who was so close to descending to Level E, no less. Knowing what he knew now, about how the two of them were... involved, he could not help but suspect that this had been targeted at _him_ as well.

'Can you get me the book?'

Aidou looked up immediately. 'Yes, Kaname-sama, I think so! It should still be at my grandmother's house, so I should be able to get it here by tomorrow if I leave now.'

Kaname nodded quickly. 'Go now then. Take Takuma with you. If you face any trouble with your family or any other vampires, just use my name.'

'Yes, Kaname-sama.'

The two nobles bowed again, before disappearing into the night, leaving Zero and Kaname alone.

The hunter stared off in the direction the two vampires had gone, hope stirring in his heart. Was it possible that he would be able to return back to his time soon? If the book had information about a spell reversal, maybe he would be back in his pureblood's arms in just a few hours. At the thought of being able to return to his lover's side, his heartbeat accelerated, and his limbs twitched, aching to feel his familiar warmth again.

_Just wait a little longer_, thought Zero. _Soon..._

'Kiryuu,' said Kaname, breaking him out of his comforting thoughts. 'I would like for you to fill me in on what happened between this time and the future that you're from. How things ended up _that _way.'

Wariness filled Zero as he eyed the pureblood. He could almost hear the gears turning in the other vampire's brain. This Kaname probably wanted to know what what had happened in order to prevent it from happening, so that they would never end up together.

And then a thought struck Zero.

What if they could stop Yuuki's death? What if they changed the past? If he remained here, not letting himself get attacked by Ichiru, Kaname would never have been captured by Rido, and their blood bond would never have been completed. They would never have gotten into a romantic relationship, but because of that, Yuuki would not have been left alone during patrol, leaving her vulnerable. Defenceless against Nasser.

She would not have to die.

Zero's breath quickened as the thoughts echoed around his mind. He could save Yuuki. If he allowed the past to change. All he had to do was tell Kaname everything. The pureblood would settle everything, he was sure of it. No harm would ever have to come to Yuuki. She would remain safe and protected, living out a long, rich life as she was supposed to. As she _deserved_ to.

But...

What would become of him? Of them? If all those events did not happen, what would the future be like? Yuuki would be alive, yes, but it would be at Kaname's side. He doubted he would ever have confessed his feelings if not for Yuuki's discovery of his and Kaname's relationship then. They would probably leave the Academy after her graduation. Would he stay on, to help out with the school, with the new hunter class? He doubted Yagari would have been able to train him personally as had happened in his time, without Kaname having arranged for it.

Yet, what did his own suffering matter? When what lay in exchange was Yuuki's _life?_ How could he even hesitate?

Zero's lips parted, forming a reply, but he stopped, unable to continue.

It was not just his own selfishness holding him back, _did _want Yuuki back. So very much. More than anything in the world. Even if he ended up lonely and miserable, he would do anything to know that she was safe and alive.

But there was absolutely no guarantee of what would happen. The future was unpredictable, after all. What if he changed it, and it became _worse_? Should he risk it, hoping that Yuuki would remain alive and be able to find happiness, even if it was not at his side? Or should he let things play out, knowing what future that path would lead to? To his and Kaname's happiness. Because his pureblood was truly happy, that he knew for certain. What if Kaname could not find that same happiness and peace in an alternative version of the future? And Yuuki too? What if more horrible things fell upon them, shattering their world more cruelly than what had happened in his time?

The hunter's mind swum with all his doubts and second-guessing. What should he do? He had absolutely no idea what was the best course of action to take. And that terrified him. The future that would follow was lying in his hands. His responsibility to bear. Anything that happened from here would be on _him_. If anything went wrong, if more people came to harm than in his version of the future, it would be solely his responsibility, for having made that decision in the first place.

'Kiryuu?'

Zero's head snapped up to look into the pureblood's politely enquiring gaze. Desperately, he willed himself to get lost in the depths of those deep, entrancing chocolate eyes, wishing he could just hide within them and not have to face this situation. And the choice he had to make. He just wanted to run away. Why had he been given such an impossible decision to make? It was cruel. So very cruel.

He needed time to think. He could not make that decision right now, not with that face so close to him, reminding him of everything he had to lose, of everything that could go wrong and destroy the vampire in front of him.

'Kuran, I'm feeling a little tired right now. How about we continue this later?'

Kaname's eyes narrowed slightly at the hunter's not-so-subtle rejection. 'Kiryuu...'

Perhaps Zero's absolute misery was reflected in his grim amethyst eyes, or perhaps the pureblood just had no desire to argue with him, but when the hunter stared into the pureblood's eyes and said, 'I'll meet you at the Night Class dorm in a few hours,' after a moment's hesitation, Kaname nodded.

'I understand. I shall see you later then.'

Too caught up in his inner turmoil to reply, Zero turned on his heel, heading for his old dorm room.

* * *

Zero lay back on the bed, breathing hard as the doubts and dilemma he had had came rushing back. He had not planned on falling asleep, but it would appear he had been more drained than he had realised. Almost immediately upon laying on the bed, his eyes had closed and he had drifted off.

And then he had proceeded to have that very disturbing nightmare.

And now, he was no closer to a decision than he had been before.

But hours had passed. And he had made a promise to the pureblood. He had no choice but to go. Because he knew that even if he refused, Kaname would send one of his underlings to _escort_ him there, or come after him himself. And that was way too much trouble than he wanted to put himself through.

Reluctantly, he got up from the bed, smoothing down his wrinkled, damp clothing and mussed up hair. Throwing one last backward glance around the comforting, familiar sanctuary of his room, he left, the soft click of the door shutting behind him an apt representation of what he was about to do.

_When one door closes, another opens..._

* * *

That's it for now. I'm not really very satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but the little time I've had to write lately, coupled the fact that inspiration is kind of lacking nowadays, means that this is the best that I can do for now. It's no excuse though! I shall try harder for the next one, I promise! T.T I apologise for how nothing very much happens in this chapter, and how the dream ended kind of violently, but I hope this chapter didn't turn out _too_ badly. Also, because I will be busy for the next couple of days, the next chapter will most probably not be out next week, as it's supposed to be. I'm so sorry :( Hopefully it'll be out by the following week, though!

Thank you all for coming this far and I hope you enjoyed this story! Much appreciation and love to all those who favourited, followed and reviewed this fanfic! :D If you guys have any ideas or comments about what decision Zero should make, please feel free to leave a review! I desperately need ideas hahahaha. Thank you all in advance :)

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**Hi: **No problem! :) Hahaha you just made that part funnier for me. Now I smile whenever I re-read that part of the story. And yeah, they really ARE very different, aren't they? Throughout Blackened Wing's story, the reader doesn't really notice because the transition is so smooth and believable, but when I'm writing them like this, it really makes me realize how much Zero has changed from the person he used to be back at the Academy. Much less annoying now, for sure hahaha. Poor Kaname :( he's suffering alone :( but then, Zero is too. Both of them are :( I can't wait for them to finally get back together :) ***SPOILER FOR THIS CHAPTER*** I needed some lovey-dovey scenes after all the angst of the past few chapters, so I came up with the dream scene...which somehow morphed into such a dark, violent scene T.T well, at least it was only a dream :) Thank you so very much for complimenting my writing style, it really makes me feel extremely happy hahaha! Thank you again for your support and reviews! :)

**BeYukii**: Hahah yay another Blackened Wing fan! :) Thank you so much for liking this fanfic!:):) Sorry that this update is a bit late, though . But thank you very much for taking the time to leave me a review! :)

**SirenDreams:** I'm really glad you liked the previous chapter! I was afraid that it was a little too rushed, but since you liked it, I must've done _something_ right :) HAHAHAHA of course, don't worry Kaname! Everything will turn out well somehow...save for a little bruises here and there haha. Thank you very much for leaving such a sweet little review :)

**Guest:** Hello and welcome to Switched! I do hope you're enjoying this story :) Thank you very much for the compliment, and for taking the time to review! :)

Thank you guys so much for your reviews :) Each one of them gets me really excited and happy :)

Thank you for reading and see you all next chapter! :D *waves*


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Hello. Sorry for the wait! Chapter 7! Please enjoy and review :)

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB!** I used some of **Blackened Wing**'s descriptions for the beginning of this chapter. And also added some new stuff to it.

* * *

_PRESENT_

Zero took a deep breath.

The strong, sharp scent of lavender air freshener was everywhere, making it difficult even for his vampire sense of smell to pick up any other scents around the room. Inhaling deeply, he let his eyes close, blocking out all other senses in order to focus solely on the scents permeating his nose. And then he detected it. Just a tiny whiff, barely noticeable if he had not been so concentrated on searching for it, but still there nonetheless.

It was his own scent.

Opening his eyes again, Zero let his eyes sweep the room. Presumably _his_ room. A door was set in the wall opposite him, probably leading to an adjoining bathroom, and maybe even more rooms that were linked to this. Another four-poster bed, this time cherry wood, was against one wall, with pale cream drapes hanging around it. The soft bedsheets and plump pillows looked invitingly luxurious and beckoned enticingly to his exhausted self to rest himself on them. Fighting the urge to just crawl under the covers, Zero directed his gaze instead to the several windows adorning the other walls. For a second, he wondered confusedly how having so many windows through which sunlight could stream in could possibly be comfortable for a vampire occupant, even with all the accompanying drapes drawn, but soon surmised that there was probably some clever trick behind it. He expected no less from the extravagant Kuran. The room had clearly been decorated with comfort as the main aim, what with all the silky soft fabrics and plush couches filling the room. And even to Zero's cold, assessing gaze, it was a homey, comfortable bedroom, one that fit so perfectly to his tastes that he could not find a single thing to hate. (Except maybe for the excessive use of drapes.)

And no doubt that that had been the pureblood's objective when he had had this room prepared for him.

And somehow, the thought of Kuran Kaname putting in any effort at all in an attempt to make _him_ comfortable just bugged the hell out of Zero. It made his skin prickle and hair stand. He briefly considered letting Bloody Rose loose on everything in sight, just to vent his frustration. At both the pureblood, _and_ at his future self, who would return to a destroyed bedroom if they managed to reverse the spell.

_When_, he correctly mentally. _When they managed to reverse the spell._

After leaving the pureblood and his mentor in the living room a while ago, Zero had made his way upstairs, for all intents and purposes to return to bed. But sleep had been the furthest thing from his mind as he climbed up the stairs and walked through the dim hallway. He had returned to where he had been earlier, before Kuran had stopped him, in the isolated corridor with the two mysterious doors. Without a moment's hesitation, he had grabbed the knob of the door on the right, swinging the door open swiftly and surely. Despite his hunter senses telling him that Kuran was still downstairs, he had stepped in quickly, shutting the door firmly behind him.

The first thing that had hit him was the overwhelming smell of lavender air freshener, as if someone had upturned an entire bottle of it in the room and left it without opening the door and windows. When the full blast of it slammed into his nostrils, Zero had gagged and choked, eyes watering painfully as his sensitive nose was violently assaulted by the piney floral fragrance. He had scrambled to open the nearest window, sticking his head out and gasping desperately for fresh air. Eventually, once he had recovered enough to breathe without feeling like he was going to vomit, he had forced himself to turn back around, intent on seeking out the scent of the owner of this bedroom.

And he had.

His future self.

Spying a large wooden wardrobe, Zero made his way over purposefully, feet thudding softly on the clean carpeted floor. Swinging the heavy dual doors open as wide as they would go, he stepped back for a second, eyes widening at the sheer number of clothes hanging on the rack. Back in his dorm room, all he had had were two sets of the Academy uniform, and another two sets of casual wear – tee shirts and jeans. He had never needed anything more than those clothes he owned. But in here was such a wide variety of clothing, ranging from tee shirts, to formal shirts, to polo shirts, to shorts, to pants, to bermudas – Zero's mind spun just looking at all of them. How did one guy need so many kinds of clothes? Even the shirts alone had their own different variations, taking up almost a _third_ of the wardrobe. Different collar types, fabrics, cuff types, colours, patterns – they were all different in some unique way.

How many shirts did his future self need?

But then he remembered. Future Zero was the protégé of the high-ranking, prominent pureblood, Kuran Kaname. _Of course_ he had to be presentable. _God forbid_ he was ever caught wearing the same shirt in public, for it would surely smear the pureblood's good name...

Once again, repulsion overwhelmed Zero as he was reminded that in this timeline, the name 'Kiryuu Zero' would _always_ be linked to that of Kuran Kaname's. No longer just a pathetic ex-human who used to be a hunter. Now he was an ex-human who used to be a hunter, but was _now_ a pureblood's protégé.

Zero growled low in his throat. He would never be able to accept that his future self had agreed to become Kuran's protégé. For that matter, why had _Kuran _himself even agreed to it? Their mutual dislike and animosity had been clear for all to see, back during their Academy days. Seriously, something really horribly messed up must have happened for things to end up this way.

Regardless, opening the wardrobe had further reinforced the fact that he now knew for sure – that this was _not_, as he had initially suspected, Yuuki's room. There was not a hint of her scent anywhere in here.

Thankfully.

He sniffed one last time, taking in the scent of crisp, freshly laundered shirts. But then he froze, lifting his head and inhaling sharply.

It was unmistakable.

_Kuran_'s scent.

The open window had allowed most of the lavender smell to diffuse out into the night, even though the scent still hung over the room. His own scent was now much stronger. And it allowed him to realise that it was slightly different from his own. Something... extra. And beneath all that, he had gotten a whiff of the pureblood's scent as well.

It was unthinkable.

Future Zero allowed Kuran into his _room_?

Just how close were they? Kuran must have been in here for pretty long too, for his scent to still be lingering on despite the hours that had passed, and the overwhelming lavender clinging stubbornly onto every surface.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. Not even bothering to close the wardrobe doors, he strode out of his – no, not _his _but the other, insane Zero's – room, letting the door swing shut behind him.

* * *

He could smell himself here, too.

Here in Kuran's room.

He had pretty much already figured it out for himself, but the elaborate, Victorian-style design of the room opposite hi-future Zero's was a clear indication. A simple whiff of the air confirmed that the dominant scent here was that of the pureblood's. No surprise there.

What _did _surprise was that his scent in here was stronger than Kuran's had been in the other room. Perhaps the lack of lavender bombarding his nostrils was the reason why. Was that the reason for the lavender then? But if so, why only that room? Why not the pureblood's as well? All these unanswerable questions were giving his already-weary brain a pounding headache.

Nevertheless, Zero had realised an undeniable fact.

Kuran and future Zero often visited each other's rooms.

What he could not figure out was _why_. What need was there for a pureblood and his protégé to mingle even during non-office hours? Wasn't the living room adequate for talking business, and the endless fields outside for physical training? What need was there for them to enter each other's rooms? Late night emergencies? Sleepovers?

Whatever it was, it just made Zero's stomach churn.

The hunter rubbed his face tiredly, exhaling harshly. This was ridiculous. This future was ridiculous. His whole being here was just downright ridiculous. He would think about all these later. Right now, all he wanted to do was sink back into sleep.

Thus, returning to the other Zero's room, he threw himself onto the awaiting bed, relaxing into the caress of the soft cottony sheets and down-filled pillows. Enveloped by lavender and future Zero's scent, his eyes soon closed, lulled to sleep by the impossibly comfortable sheets and the whisper of crickets from outside.

Within seconds, he had succumbed to the darkness.

It was probably a relief that he had failed to realise how the pureblood's scent peeking out from the mattress beneath him was stronger than anywhere else in the room.

* * *

Kaname's eyes opened. There was a faint throbbing in his chest, and his right arm was outstretched in front of him, fingers splayed as if in an attempt to grab hold of something.

_'__Kaname,' said Zero, gazing at him tenderly, fingers gently tracing across his cheek. 'I have to leave.'_

_Puzzlement had Kaname's brows furrowing as he questioned, 'Leave? Where? And when are you coming back?'_

_A soft smile twisted the hunter's lips, but the pain in his eyes was evident. 'Somewhere far away.' He pressed his lips to Kaname's in a ghost of a kiss, before pulling back to smile fondly at his lover again. 'I won't return.'_

_Panic gripped at the pureblood's chest, his heart constricting agonisingly. Urgency laced his trembling voice as he demanded to know what Zero meant._

_Shaking his head slowly, Zero drew away, before turning and walking away. With every step, his figure grew fainter and fainter, as if he were disappearing right before Kaname's eyes._

_'__No, Zero, stop!' _

_Desperately, Kaname threw his arm out, trying to reach for the hunter._

_But it was too late._

_Zero was gone._

Kaname shook himself mentally, shaking off the depressing memory. That had just been a dream. Zero was _not_ gone forever. He would be back soon, without a doubt. He would not rest until he found a way to return his lover to his rightful place – at Kaname's side.

Forcing himself to get off the reclining chair on which he had drifted off, he crossed the room to the bathroom. The cool water served as a very welcome distraction from his worries, jolting his system awake as it streamed down his bleary face and weary body. Once all traces of exhaustion and nightmares had disappeared down into the unseen depths of the drainage system, Kaname toweled himself dry, before returning back to the study.

A warm light was starting to light up the room, the windows slightly darkened as they adjusted to filter the sunlight streaming in. The sun was just starting to peek out from the horizon, its muted rays painting the sky the hopeful orange glow of dawn. A light breeze wafted in through the window, bringing with it the sweet scent of morning dew. And...

Vampires?

Kaname cursed inwardly as he glanced out the window. A black car was winding smoothly through the roads that led to the compound, windows tinted to block out the rays of sunrise. He was not expecting anyone, and he doubted his Zero had been, either. If not for the fact that he knew exactly who they were, he would have just ignored them, letting the security measures set in place take care of them and halt their approach.

But he did know them. And they were here to help him, or so they must have been thinking when they decided to pay a visit, without so much as an advance notice of their arrival, during the _day_. With a murderous Zero around.

Not that they knew that part yet. He had not quite told anyone, except for Yagari and Seiren, the reason why he was so interested in The Time Switcher's Spell. And he had planned on keeping it that way. Until now.

Sighing in annoyance, he headed down to meet them.

* * *

'God, why is the sun so bright even though it's barely even up?' exclaimed Aidou irritably as he stepped out of the car.

Despite his long tee and pants, as well as the large sunglasses obscuring half his face, he cringed as the sun's rays enveloped him, feeling like an ant under a thousand-watt spotlight. Their driver quickly hurried to his side, shading him under a huge umbrella.

'You're the one who decided to go out during the day, Aidou,' came a wry voice from the other side of the car.

Aidou scowled into the car as he reached in to retrieve an old, leather-bound book, clutching it tightly to his chest.

'This is important, Kain! Kaname-sama needs us! Even if he lived in the middle of the desert, with no shade or shelter for miles, I would still rush to his side the second he called for me.'

Hearing his cousin scoff in derision, he raised his head, glaring at him over the top of the car. 'I would, too!' he defended stubbornly.

'I don't doubt it.'

With a gasp, Aidou spun around.

Kaname stood at the entrance to the house, leaning against the doorjamb, safely protected in the shade of the porch. A wry expression was on his face, the annoyance that had been in his eyes somewhat lessened by his gladness at seeing his old friends safe and well.

'Kaname-sama,' greeted Kain calmly, bowing his head slightly at the pureblood.

Aidou's response was much less reserved. He hurried up to the brunette, with his driver scrambling along to keep the blonde under the umbrella's shade.

'Kaname-sama!' exclaimed Aidou. 'Are you alright?'

Any trace of annoyance that the pureblood still harboured dissolved instantly when he saw the intense worry and concern in the noble's searching, sincere eyes. Gaze softening, he nodded.

'_I_ am fine, Aidou. Thank you for worrying.'

Missing the pureblood's emphasis on his first word, an embarrassed blush rose on the blonde's cheeks. 'It's no problem at all, Kaname-sama! Your safety and well-being is, and will always be, my utmost priority!'

Chuckling lightly, Kaname gestured the two vampires in, leading them toward the living room. Once all three of them were settled comfortably on the couches, he turned to them, a serious look on his face.

'I presume the reason for your sudden visit is regarding the spell I asked you to research?'

Kain, sensing the pureblood's subtle displeasure at their showing up at his house without warning, quickly opened his mouth, about to apologise for their rudeness. Even though it had been Aidou who had claimed there was no time to waste, practically shoving him into the car and yelling at the driver to 'hit it!' Only later, when he realised they should call Kaname-sama to inform them of their arrival, did they both remember that their phones were still in the dorm.

But Aidou, oblivious as ever, cut in before he could.

'Yes, Kaname-sama! After your call, I immediately went to the Academy library. When I was younger, I used to visit my grandmother, and I once read about that spell in one of her books. When the hunter class was formed, my grandmother donated all her books, including this one (here Aidou excitedly waved the book in his hands) to the Academy. And I managed to find it!'

Kain rolled his eyes. _He _had been the one to find the book. Not that he had expected his proud cousin to share credit, of course.

Ignoring him, Aidou glanced down at the book, carelessly flipping it open to a page somewhere in the middle, before he held it out to Kaname.

Taking the book carefully so as not to damage the worn, fragile tome, Kaname's eyes trailed over the words.

'_The Time Switcher Spell. An ancient vampire spell designed millennia ago to switch past and future selves of a person. It is most commonly used in 'breaking' vampire bonds, something that is otherwise impossible. By sending each into a time he/she does not belong in, one half of the bond has disappeared, effectively breaking the bond_

_Method: A human sacrifice is required. The younger the sacrifice, the more likely the spell will be successful. Draw the required symbol using the sacrifice's blood and lay the sacrifice within the symbol. Next, recite the spell as follows. Sunglasses are advised for spell casters.'_

_Success rate: Low. Depends very much on the sacrifice, spell casters and especially the target. Most times, the target does not have the power and strength to be transported across times, even with the sacrifice's power added to the mix, and ends up dying in the time in which the spell was cast._

Below that was the symbol mentioned, as well as the words of the spell, which appeared to be an archaic form of Latin. The spell was so simple to carry out, it was hard to believe that more vampires did not use this. But what the book had mentioned about the power of the target playing a huge role in the spell's success cleared things up. There was no point using a spell that had such a high chance of failure. If death of the target was desired, there were much simpler ways. Kaname could now understand why such a powerful and valuable spell had faded quietly into the shadows.

But with his Zero's incredible strength and abilities, not mentioning his lineage, it came as no surprise that the spell had worked on him. Still, raw anger and horror seared through him as he realised that had the spell failed, Zero could have _died_. At least now, even though he was in a different time, his lover was alive and well. As long as the spell was reversed, Kaname could get him back. And now, he also knew for sure that the spell had been cast on the Zero of his time, rather than the Zero from the past. Which hinted more strongly of who exactly it was aimed at.

Kaname read on to the next page, eyes scrutinising the text for what he needed. But it was a different spell.

Cold horror gripped him.

'There's no spell reversal?'

Outwardly, he appeared calm, but his voice was tense and strained. It could not be? There was a spell reversal for every of the vampire spell that he knew of.

Although this could be the exception...

Thankfully, Aidou shook his head, before saying, 'There is! I remember that there was a page dedicated to the reversal of that spell.'

Relief washed over Kaname like a tidal wave. _Thank goodness_, he thought.

But if it wasn't in the book...

Carefully examining the book, he soon noticed what he had missed before. A page had clearly been torn out, leaving some tiny pieces still stuck to the spine. The pureblood ran his thumb across them. So close. He was so close to getting Zero back again. This book had almost been the solution. Yet the crucial information, the one he needed most, was gone. Deliberately removed from his reach. Kaname looked up, a steely look in his eyes.

Aidou pulled at his collar nervously, detecting the pureblood's obvious ire and frustration. 'That's why I thought it important to show you this in person, Kaname-sama. The page was intentionally removed. Only _that_ page. I checked the whole book myself.'

In a rare show of support for his cousin, Kain nodded in affirmation. 'We were wondering if it could have been done by a student from the Academy for some research, so we went over all the lists of subjects for both the hunter and vampires classes, starting from when the hunter class was formed. There was nothing that would require researching on such a spell. This is probably not a coincidence.'

Kaname nodded, looking straight at them as he softly said, 'Investigate this further. But be extremely discreet. _No one_ else is to know about this, except for the rest of my inner circle.'

Kain and Aidou bowed their heads immediately.

'Yes, Kaname-sama.'

Then Aidou looked up, hesitation in his eyes.

'Kaname-sama?'

'What is it?' Kaname had a feeling he knew what the blonde was going to ask.

'I don't mean to probe, but... is something wrong? The spell...' he trailed off, eyes flitting over the empty kitchen briefly, before returning to Kaname with a worried look.

Kaname sighed inwardly. _Of course_ Aidou, who managed to remain oblivious to just about anything else, _had_ to notice Zero's absence. But it was only to be expected, of course. Whenever his inner circle came over for a visit, Zero would busy himself with serving them snacks and drinks, even though the staff would trip over themselves trying to get it done before he could. Right now, however, Izumi and his kitchen staff were not around. Kaname had sent them off for vacation for three weeks, mostly at Zero's insistence.

_'__You can't expect them to work all the time, can you? They need off days as well!' _his stubborn lover had argued at that time. It had not taken much for Kaname to concede and agree. Zero had beamed, pleased that for the next three weeks, he would be able to work the kitchen without Izumi glaring at him and watching his every move like a hawk, and the kitchen staff offering to help with every little simple task.

Kaname had laughed then. '_If you're happier without them around, I can just have them reassigned elsewhere,' _he had teased, though he had been completely serious.

'_No,' _Zero had said, a small smile playing on his lips_. 'I need them to look after you for me when I'm off on missions.'_

_'__Just don't ever leave, then,' _Kaname had replied, drawing his lover into his arms. '_Stay by my side forever.'_

'Kaname-sama?'

Aidou's concerned voice pulled Kaname out of his reminiscing. That's right. He needed to stop recalling past memories and focus on the situation at hand. For half a second, he considered telling them that he was fine, and that Zero was just sleeping upstairs. He was sure that even though Aidou would not have believed him, he would still accept it.

But, these were vampires he trusted with his life. They had proved their loyalty and support unwaveringly over the years, even when he had been shunned by everyone else as his parents' murderer. Kain had almost died during the investigation then. Because he would rather die than betray him. Aidou, too, had almost given his life protecting Zero for him. He had been the one who questioned how Kaname felt about the hunter, back when the pureblood had still been considering binding him. He had always supported him. And Zero, for that matter.

It would not be fair for him to lie to them. To his friends. To his...family.

Besides, their understanding could help ease his burden. Less people he had to put up a front for.

'The Time Switcher Spell was cast on Zero.'

Shock was evident on both nobles' faces. Aidou's eyes widened in horror. Even though he had suspected Kaname's sudden interest in the spell to be due to personal reasons, never had he imagined that _Zero_ had been the victim to the spell. Kaname's most beloved person, and his own... friend.

Numbly, he asked, 'Do you know why?'

Kaname shook his head grimly. 'No. There was no warning at all. It seems almost random.'

But of course all three of them knew it was not a random move. Someone had deliberately done it. Most probably aimed at the pureblood.

'Does he know?' asked Kain.

Kaname nodded.

'Yes, he does. I also told him about the new hunter class.'

Then he looked first at Kain, before staring straight into Aidou's eyes.

'I told him Cross was still at the Academy, with Yuuki training to take over as Headmaster. He has also been told that he is my protégé. And only that.'

Silence greeted his words as both nobles processed this knowledge. Of course, they had not expected Kaname to tell Zero the whole truth. But still, lying about something that could be disproved so easily seemed too risky. Not that they could think of a better lie, of course. How did you explain to someone why the two people who had been the only constants in his life were no longer by his side? They trusted that Kaname-sama had done the best he could have under the circumstances.

'I trust the both of you will behave accordingly? And instruct the others as well?'

Both nobles looked up immediately.

'Of course, Kaname-sama.'

Kaname nodded once. 'Then be prepared. He is here.'

Before Aidou could fully process the meaning of the pureblood's words, the door to the living room swung open. A scowling Zero stood in the doorway, eyes narrowing as he caught side of Kain and him.

'What are they doing here?'

Though Zero never looked away from them, his question was obviously directed towards Kaname. For a minute, amusement filled Kaname. This Zero, who thought himself only a protégé, had no right questioning the presence of guests. This was Kaname's house, after all. He could invite anyone over, and his protégé had no say. So if Zero was responding this way, maybe it meant he was beginning to see this place as his, as well.

Then again, the more probable reason was that Zero did not give a rat's ass about statuses.

'They are here to help. I told them about the situation.'

Offering the hunter the book in his hand, Kaname watched as the he read about the spell, the irritation on his face growing with every line he read. Then he glanced up.

'What, that's it?'

Kaname shook his head. 'No, according to Aidou, there was once a segment on how to reverse the spell. It would appear that it was previously removed.'

Zero tsked, not bothering to conceal his impatience and frustration.

'What a pain in the ass.'

'We'll get it,' reassured Kaname softly. He wasn't quite sure who he was trying to comfort, Zero or himself.

Zero grunted in response, tossing the book onto the couch next to Kaname. A few seconds of silence passed, before he whirled around, glaring hotly at the blonde noble.

'Will you quit gawking at me like I have two heads? What's your problem?'

Aidou started when Zero's eyes met his. Feeling like a thief caught stealing red-handed, he forced himself to hold the hunter's gaze, despite the irrational urge to shift his gaze away from him. Aidou _had _been staring at Zero ever since he entered the room. Because this was not the Zero they had all become accustomed to. This was the Zero he had used to hate, back at the Academy. Hot-tempered, disrespectful and utterly insolent. Addressing a noble so casually and rudely – the old Aidou would have thrown a fit, cursing and spitting at the ex-human who did not know his place. But just like how Zero had changed, Aidou had changed too. While they still had conflicts, it never extended beyond the playful, teasing bantering between friends.

'Hey, you,' growled the hunter belligerently. 'Forgot how to use your mouth?'

Okay, now _that_ was uncalled for. Aidou scowled at Zero, mentally trying to control his surging annoyance. He would not kill Zero. He would not kill Zero.

'Or did having hunters join the Academy make you meeker? It suits you, I must admit.'

Okay, he was definitely going to kill Zero.

Sending a heated glare towards the hunter, Aidou clenched his fists, starting to rise from his chair. 'You bastard...!'

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Kain grabbed his cousin's shirt, pulling him back down onto the couch. 'That's enough, Aidou.'

The blonde whipped his head around. 'But Kain! He's the one-'

'Aidou.'

The noble froze at Kaname's voice. Swallowing the rest of his words, he slowly turned to the pureblood, expecting to be met with icy, annoyed eyes.

But Kaname-sama simply shook his head once, grim understanding in his eyes. It was almost as if he were... _requesting _Aidou to let things slide.

Because he was. Kaname knew that Aidou was not the one at fault here, that it was Zero who was working the tinder in his hands, trying to get a spark that would ignite a fearsome fire. Yet, Kaname could not do anything about it without risking any drastic actions Zero could take. Past Zero had always taken an abrasive attitude towards vampires, insults and sharp retorts permanently on the tip of his tongue. If Kaname responded in a way that made Zero feel like he should be acting more like Future Zero was supposed to, the impulsive hunter was sure to bristle and baulk. The already strained situation would become even more unbearable.

So, for now, all he could do was hope that Aidou understood.

Amazingly, he did. He knew how much the pureblood had to be suffering about this whole situation. For him, he had lost a friend, but for Kaname-sama, he had lost a lover. And Aidou would not do anything to cause Kaname-sama more hurt and anguish.

And so, nodding at the pureblood, he turned back towards Zero, all traces of anger disappearing. In a mock-haughty voice, he announced, 'I won't deign to reply to such childish comments.'

Zero's eyebrows shot up, shock replacing the scorn on his features. What the? Since when would the pompous, irascible Hanabusa Aidou accept snide remarks from anyone? Especially from an ex-human?

Not missing Zero's astonishment, Aidou smirked lightly. 'I'm not the same Aidou, you know. I've changed (Here Kain could not resist a snort, rolling his eyes as well). A lot has changed. You, as well.'

Zero gave a short, mirthless laugh. 'So I'm beginning to realise.'

Of course he knew that nothing would be the same. It seemed like years had passed since the past where he came from. It wasn't like he expected things _not _to change, just that it seemed like _everything _had changed. The Academy, Kuran, the vampires. Himself, most of all. He had never once imagined being able to live and work _amongst _vampires, instead of just killing them. Or ever _wanting_ to. But yet, this was how things had turned out. How, he would make sure he found out, but since they were already on the subject...

'What's future Zero like?'

While he had spent a lot of time hating and berating his future self for the stupid decision he had made, he had never taken a minutre to try to imagine what he was really like. Was he still as guarded and distrustful? He couldn't be, if the Bloody Rose he had found inside the dresser next to the bed was any indication. Was he equally protective of Yuuki? How could he be, if he had allowed himself to leave her side, to live with the vampire she had been admiring all her life?

How could he stand waking up in a pureblood's house every day, walking next to him, learning from him, being associated with him? How could he stand the thought of Yuuki back at the Academy, without both him and Kuran to ensure her safety? Not that he had any doubt that the pureblood would have made sure she was fully protected, but the him now just could not imagine not being there _personally, _making sure she got enough sleep, helping her with the mad horde of fan girls during class changeover, making sure she finished her homework and kept up with lessons - these were all things he had always done for her. Things that he always complained were pains in the butts, but never had he ever considered _not _doing them.

Future Zero was someone he was completely unable to imagine. He was like a whole other person.

How much could one person change? Zero had always stuck by the old saying that a leopard could not change its spots, but here it seemed like his own life was proving him wrong.

'Huh?' asked a flustered Aidou, startled gaze locking on his. 'Wait, you're asking me to describe him?'

Zero folded his arms, rolling his eyes. 'No, I'm asking you to sing a song about him. Yes, describe him, idiot.'

Aidou bristled, but remembering Kaname-sama's previous look, just about managed to hold back a sharp retort. Through his struggle to control his fury and indignation, his mind reminded him about Zero's question. Why had the hunter asked _him_, of all people? What should he say? How much did Kaname-sama want him to know?

At that thought, his panicked gaze sought out the pureblood, mentally pleading for help.

But Kaname-sama only nodded once at him, signaling him to continue.

Eh? He had not been asking for permission to describe future Zero, but for his assistance at answering the question! What was he going to say? Dimly, he tried to imagine their Zero from his previous visit several weeks ago, struggling to find words to describe his friend. Er, Zero was...strong? His physical strength was boundless, and coupled together with his vampire powers, he was practically undefeatable. Zero had been the one who saved the pureblood during the flood, and had been crucial during Kaname-sama's battle with the pureblood Nasser. It was clear to everyone that Zero was a formidable adversary, one you did not want to get on the bad side of.

Kiryuu Zero was the embodiment of all three races. The ex-human vampire who worked as a hunter. Even the Hunter Association had recognised his unique and powerful standing, not just as a pureblood's bondmate, but also as a hunter with a unique vampire power. Ever since he had shown his vines during the Nasser attack, word had spread like wildfire through the Association, and even through the Academy. People either feared, or respected Zero. There were even some hunters pushing for him to take over the Association as head, a move that Kaname and Yagari fully supported. But Zero had always refused, wanting neither the responsibility or the power. The two of them were still in the midst of trying to persuade him otherwise, thankfully. Perhaps one day...

And though he would never admit it to anyone, Aidou thought of Kiryuu Zero as intelligent, quick-thinking, loyal and extremely dauntless. Never had he backed down from a challenge, even if it seemed terrifying, or impossible. He always went in head-first, gun at the ready, face set in a determined look. The blonde had always admired his ever-ready, can-do attitude, even back when he had hated his guts.

So, which of those should he tell the Zero in front of him now? He was not about to admit how he really felt about Zero, especially not in front of Kain and Kaname!

'Uh...,' Still hoping for help, he shot his cousin a helpless, beseeching look.

But all Kain did was shrug unhelpfully. Aidou glared at him, gritting his teeth.

Avoiding the hunter's increasingly more annoyed face, the noble scanned the room, mostly in an effort to buy time. But then his gaze fell over the kitchen, and his face lit up.

'We had a food fight in there once,' blurted the noble, motioning toward the kitchen.

An incredulous and flabbergasted expression crossed Zero's face. 'What?'

He sure had not been expecting to hear _that._

From the corner of his eye, Aidou saw a small smile come onto Kaname-sama's face. Recalling the happy memories, most likely. Encouraged by the pureblood's lightened mood, the noble went on.

'It was over an orange. And we kind of destroyed the whole place, covering it in foodstuff and baking ingredients. Oh, and whipped cream. _A lot _of whipped cream.'

Aidou could not stop the broad smile spreading over his face at the memory of their childish fight. 'The housekeeper was really mad at us. Everyone got roped into helping to clean up, even Kaname-sama and Kain.'

Kain shook his head in exasperation, but the corners of his lips tugged upwards. Kaname's eyes, too, were filled with gentle tenderness as he remembered how Zero had been laughing uncontrollably, tears running down his cheeks. That was one of the first times he had ever seen his lover laughing so hard.

The stunned disbelief on Zero's face was priceless. It was only with supreme effort that Aidou managed to hold back a snigger. He was pretty sure the hunter would not appreciate his making fun of him.

Still lost in the past memory, he continued on, a glint in his eye.

'That wasn't even the best part. The best part was when Kaname-sama asked the cooks for some whipped cream so that he could use it for you lat-'

The blonde yelped in pain as his cousin prodded him viciously, but subtly, in the side of his ribs with a finger, interrupting his train of thought.

'What are you-'

It was the incredulous 'are you an idiot?' look on Kain's face that had him breaking off. Too late, he realised what he had said. Oh, crap. That had definitely been too much information. Why hadn't he just kept his big, fat mouth shut?

Eyes widened in horror, he glanced cautiously at first Kaname-sama, then Zero.

Kaname had stiffened in his seat, face taut. Shooting the blonde a reproaching stare, he then turned to the hunter, assessing his response.

Zero's features had twisted in confusion and incomprehension. 'Whipped cream? For me? Why?'

'It's nothing! Slip of words. Just forget what I said!'

Kaname frowned at the blonde in annoyance. Did he not realise that his hasty reply had only made Zero more suspicious?

'What the hell? Spit it out, Hanabusa.'

Why couldn't Zero just let this go!? Running a hand haphazardly through his hair, Aidou's gaze swivelled down to the floor, avoiding both Zero's irate scowl and the pureblood's rebuking frown. Oh god, why did he always have to put his foot in his mouth? So much for having changed...

'Zero. He's just trying to protect the secret training we do.'

All three vampires turned to the pureblood. Aidou's jaw dropped. What was Kaname-sama talking about?

Sighing lightly, Kaname continued, despite the disbelief on Zero's face. 'It was just an idea I came up with after witnessing the food fight. It made me realise that whipped cream is a readily available household necessity, and it is an excellent tool for blinding and slowing down opponents. So I incorporated it into one of our training sessions.'

Three shocked faces gaped at him.

Recovering first, Zero shook his head in disgust, not bothering to mask the incredulity and scorn on his face.

'What the hell kind of stupid idea is that? Whipped cream training? Seriously?'

Kaname shrugged easily, not giving anything away.

'I'd say it went pretty well.'

And he was not lying. Their 'training' session after the fight had been immensely satisfying, on both their parts. Kaname had smeared the cream all over his lover's body, using his mouth to clean him up seductively, teasing and adoring the hunter so thoroughly that all Zero could do was lie back on the bed, trembling and holding tightly onto him, drowning in a boundless sea of pleasure as wave after wave of sensual bliss crashed over him.

Revulsion still on his face, Zero remarked sardonically, 'I am seriously starting to question your so-called training, Kuran.'

Kaname let the dig slide, fixing his gaze onto Aidou instead. The blonde noble still wore panic and alarm on his face, but his eyes were remorseful and mournful as he stared back at him.

Even though the pureblood did not say a word, Aidou gulped, dread creeping over him like an icy chill. Except that ice was _his_ power, and he had never had to experience it before. But Kaname-sama's frosty eyes seemed to have powers of their own, causing a shiver to run down his spine. The unspoken message in those eyes was as clear as day.

_Aidou, you better remember how I had to look like a fool for you._

Aidou swallowed hard.

* * *

**That's it! I have no idea how Aidou came to become the main focus of this chapter XD He's so adorable though, so forgive him, yeah? I finally got around to planning some stuff out for this story, so I'm pretty excited. But, because real life shall be starting up again in a few weeks, soon my posting frequency shall be severely compromised :( I'm not going to abandon this story, though! Promise! And in the meantime, I will use whatever time I have to write as much as I can :) Thank you again to everyone who has stuck with Switched through these past 7 chapters, and to all new readers as well. **

**Oh, and I still would like to request ideas for what will happen in the Past with Zero and Kaname XD Thanks, guys :)**

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**gleish26**: HAHAHAH! While I do regret that the dream scared you, I'm kinda glad that it was good enough to cause such a response hahaha. At least it was only a dream yay :) Kaname will never be that cruel. I hope. Thank you so much for your suggestion, I really like it! I DO plan to have a happy ending, so yeah, things will turn out for the best somehow *secret grin* HAHA. Thank you so much for your reassurance of the previous chapter! I was really pretty worried about that. Thank you so much for taking the time to review, and it is my pleasure to write for all of you :D Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Hi**: It IS a lot of pressure isn't it! I feel it too, as the author having to decide for him HAHAHA. I hope he makes the right choice :) Oh, I'm so sorry about the cliffhanger T.T I was really stuck, thinking hard about what choice he should make XD I think I've got a sort-of-idea about what will happen next, though, so I hope that turns out well :) Woohoo, if you like Aidou, you should enjoy this super Aidou-centric chapter I think :). I hope I didn't portray him as being OOC or anything though! Thank you once again for your reviews and support and see you soon! :):)


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Chapter 8 is here! ^.^ Please enjoy and review :)

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB**! :)

**Update:** Hi all, I tweaked the spell reversal a little bit to better fit where I'm planning to go with this story. :)

* * *

_PAST_

Eyes downcast, Zero trudged forward, hands buried deep into his pockets. As the gates of the Night Dorm loomed ahead of him, like an ominous gateway leading straight into his own personal hell, his footsteps slowed. Maybe, maybe he could still turn around now. Tell Kaname tomorrow that the gates were shut and he could not ge-

With an eerie creak, the heavy gates swung inward, even though no one was there.

Zero lifted his head just long enough to glance up. A figure stood against one of the windows of the door, gazing down at him. Great. Kaname had sensed him coming. He should have known.

He continued onward, making his way to the front door. Even as his heart rate was shooting up to join the clouds in the sky, his heart itself was sinking deeper and deeper.

This was it. Moment of truth.

And he had no idea what to do.

Exhaling sharply, Zero raked a hand through his tousled silver locks, throwing his gaze around his surroundings. The sun was just beginning its daily emergence from below the horizon, casting a warm, orange glow on everything around him. The sunrise and scenery was breath-taking, but even their magnificent splendour did little to calm Zero's stirring emotions.

As he approached the door, it, too, swung open quietly. Seemed like Kaname was about as excited for this meeting as he was dreading it.

Stepping in, his already lagged steps came to a sudden halt.

Ruka sat on the couch in the living room, eyes boring steadfastly into him. Hatred and disgust was evident from her expression, and her hands were clenched into fists on the arms of the couch. She was obviously on edge, probably about ten seconds away from jumping on him and tearing his eyes out.

Kain sat by her side, one hand reassuringly on her shoulder. He directed some animosity towards the vampire as well, but it was clear that he was more concerned about the vampire by his side.

'You stupid D. You should be praying for mercy, begging me not to tear you to shreds for daring to lay a hand on Kaname-sama!' snarled Ruka vehemently.

Zero simply looked tiredly at her. He was well aware that the Zero of this timeline would probably have sneered back at her, shooting off a sharp retort or taunt, but... He just had no desire to pretend. Fully consumed by what was to come once he reached the pureblood's room, her supercilious words simply bounced off him as easily as raindrops.

Simply giving a non-committal grunt, he turned away from them, continuing his way up the stairs.

Ruka's eyes widened in shock. The hunter dared to ignore her? Even when she was already showing him mercy at Kaname-sama's request?

No way. She could not let this pass. The arrogant ex-human had to be put in his place.

The next second, she was across the room in a flash, clawed hand stabbing towards the hunter's face. _Take this!_ thought Ruka with a triumphant smirk.

But her blow connected only with air.

Blinking, she glanced around her, confused. Where was Kiryuu?

Then she saw him, at the top of the stairs, staring down at her with an emotionless face. Her lips parted, mouth opening slightly in shock. How had he moved there so quickly? She had not even seen or felt him moving. There was no way that he had been able to surpass her vampire speed!

So how had he done it?

A threatening growl rumbled in her throat as she fixed him with a piercing glare.

She drew her arm back, about to leap for his throat, but a hand shot out to encase her wrist in a firm grip.

'Ruka. That's enough. Kaname-sama specifically instructed all of us not to bother Kiryuu when he came here.'

The female immediately wrenched her hand out of Kain's hold, but thankfully remained by his side, lips curling and teeth gnashing at the hunter.

'I don't know why Kaname-sama is suddenly treating you so well, but be assured that it won't last. And the second he gives the command, I'll be right there to tear you apart,' she threatened, strident voice echoing around the walls of the living room.

Kain immediately stepped closer to Ruka, ready to restrain her if the cantankerous hunter's typical snide remarks riled her up again.

But to both their surprises, Kiryuu's only response was to nod absentmindedly, not the slightest trace of contempt in his unreadable eyes, before continuing on his way to Kaname-sama's quarters. _How uncharacteristically passive of him_, wondered Kain idly, not letting his eyes stray off a still-fuming Ruka. But she was gazing off in the direction he had gone, annoyed puzzlement creasing her brows. Both nobles had the same thought running through their minds as the silver-haired hunter shuffled unhurriedly down the hallway.

_Why does Kiryuu seem so different all of a sudden?_

* * *

The door at the end of the hall was closed.

With each reluctant step, Zero's shoes scuffed against the wooden floor as he practically dragged himself forward, until he was standing right before it.

Zero swallowed. He could still run. Maybe he would not be able to get very far - especially with Kain and Ruka right downstairs, no doubt the pureblood's way of ensuring he did not escape - but it might buy him enough time to think of something.

But then the door was swinging open, welcoming him in with an invitation that he could not refuse.

The room was dark. Heavy, maroon drapes blocked out all traces of the rising sun, not letting any of its rays filter through. Kaname was leaning back against his desk, arms folded as he watched him silently. The moment Zero stepped into the room, the door closed behind him, the quiet click nevertheless echoing through the silent shadows. Refraining from another nervous swallow, Zero strode forward until he was in the centre of the room, standing directly across from the relaxed pureblood.

'I trust you are now ready to tell me about the future that you're from?'

He was not, but gave a terse nod, the tightening of his jaw muscles the only outward indication of his hesitancy and inner conflict.

The pureblood nodded in response, an expectant look on those flawless, perfectly chiselled features.

'Well...,' began Zero softly, the gears in his brain turning rapidly.

Where should he begin? Them? Yuuki? Everything that had transpired between now and then? All his thoughts about reversing the future – it was still something he was conflicted over. But maybe, it was not such a good idea to tell him everything yet. The pureblood might over-react, and Zero definitely did not want that to happen. It was probably better to stick to the safe, neutral events first, concluded Zero, trying his best to ignore the niggling at the back of his head. But a little voice popped up annoyingly, telling him that he was just using that as an excuse to delay the inevitable.

_It's not inevitable if I don't know if I'm going to tell him yet,_ argued Zero. _Now, instead of being such a frustrating thing, why don't you make yourself useful and tell me where I should start?_

With an indignant huff, the voice fell silent.

_Figures that it would leave without being of any help at all_, grumbled an exasperated Zero. Nevertheless, he knew that this decision was only his to make. Accurately guessing that there was no way of worming out of explaining how their relationship came to be, Zero concluded that he would have to go all the way back to the pureblood's kidnap, and how Zero had rescued him, thus forming a blood bond.

But before that, perhaps he would like to hear more about the Academy they were currently residing in.

'The school has changed quite a bit. A new hunter class was opened.'

Kaname eyes widened in surprise. Though learning about what the Academy's future had been last on the list of things he wanted clarified, _this _news gripped him.

'A hunter's class? Truly?' breathed the brunette quietly.

Zero's eyes softened marginally at the wonder in the pureblood's chocolate orbs.

'Yes. Cross and you... you guys _did_ make huge progress towards the co-existence movement. Everything is going really well, too. There are fewer and fewer conflicts between the hunter students and vampire students every year.'

A ghost of a smile flitted across Kaname's lips. That was great news indeed. He would never have stopped working towards that goal, of course, but knowing for sure how successfully his efforts turned out to be was extremely reassuring.

Observing the younger version of his lover carefully, Zero recognised the exact moment when Kaname filed away the information about the school, the quiet satisfaction replaced by curiosity to hear more. Sighing inwardly, he let his eyes flutter shut for a second. The best place to start... was probably right at the beginning. For now, he could probably just talk about the more significant events, and leave out Yuuki for a bit. After all, Zero was sure that the pureblood's main aim was to get to the crux of how the two of them had ended up as lovers. Everything else, he could decide later.

'One day while we were all still students, Kiryuu Ichiru enrolled into the Academy. No one knew what he was up to. But it turned out that he was working with people who wanted to get to you. And they had thought that by leaving me close to death, Yuuki would persuade you to save me, significantly weakening you enough that you could be taken. And it all worked out exactly the way they had planned.'

Zero paused for a second, regarding the pureblood silently.

Kaname had his brows furrowed as he processed all that information. Kiryuu Ichiru. Long-lost twin brother of Kiryuu Zero. Of course his appearance would have signalled that something was going to happen; how could none of them, including himself, have suspected something? Why had Cross even allowed him in?

But the plan... grudgingly, he had to admit that it was a good one. Many knew about his attachment to the human Cross Yuuki. As long as they did a little research, and find out who she cared for, this plan would have been come up with with nary an effort. For a brief second, a vague admiration for the culprits crossed his mind.

'Who were 'they'?'

Zero hesitated. But then he sighed quietly. He might as well tell the truth.

'Ichijo Asato, and... Kuran Rido.'

Kaname almost let his shock slip through his impeccable mask, barely managing to seal the cracks just in time. Rido... As he had suspected all along, his uncle was alive. And evidently still plotting his demise. How his previous guardian had come to end up working together with him, he did not know, but it hardly came as a surprise that Asato would be fully on board with any plan that could bring Kaname down.

'Your inner circle vampires and I managed to get you out,' continued Zero once the pureblood seemed to have accepted his words. 'And in the course of rescuing you... the two of us completed a blood bond.'

There was really no need for him to go into details, was there? To discuss how Kaname had been constantly providing him with his blood to stop his descent to Level E, and how Zero had eventually agreed to return the favour, seeing how starved and deranged the pureblood had become. There was no need to tell him about what had happened during his drinking, how Kaname had seemed like he planned on draining him dry, and there was _especially_ no need whatsoever to mention the part where he had cried, with Yuuki offering him her sweet comfort.

Not that the pureblood would believe him anyway.

Thankfully for both of them, Kaname did not probe further, only nodding after a fleeting moment of silence.

'The bond was what pulled us into the start of our rela- an agreement. It made us need each other physically. And that's all it was for a long time. Just physical.'

The pureblood's gaze had darkened at his words, a slight chill falling over the room.

Resolutely ploughing on, speaking quickly as if to soften the blow of his words, Zero said matter-of-factly, 'Eventually, we got closer and you took me in as your protégé. It was some years later that you gave me the memory necklace. And everything inside, you've seen.'

Having completed his recount of everything that he thought neutral and factual enough to mention, Zero turned his head away, letting his gaze settle on the far wall. He did not know how the pureblood would react, whether he would suddenly act out in violence, or demand to know more details about his vague explanation. What he _did_ know was that any expression of scorn or revulsion at their relationship would hurt. It would really hurt. Even if this was not his lover, the voice and face were the same. He was not sure that he had a strong enough bullet-proof vest that those missiles pronouncing their relationship as repulsive and 'a mistake' would just bounce off easily, leaving no damage behind. He had already been crushed by such words once in his earlier dream, and he sure did not want to experience that heart-wrenching – literally! – situation again.

'The house,' mentioned Kaname, drawing Zero's immediate attention. 'You live there together?'

The hunter nodded hesitantly. Kaname seemed to be taking everything surprisingly well. He appeared totally calm, except for some obvious, understandable uneasiness. Was that it then? Had the pureblood decided to just accept his words?

'Where Is Yuuki then? I presume both of you have already graduated long ago. Why don't I see her in any of your memories?'

At the mention of his best friend's name, Zero twitched, despite having already expected that particular topic to come up sometime in this conversation. It was just that... he was not ready to go into the details of all of that. Should he tell Kaname the truth? Tell him that she had been killed, because the both of them had been too distracted by each other? That the reason she had been targeted in the first place was because of Kaname? And that the culprit had been Nasser?

He could just imagine what the pureblood's response would be like. Firstly, he would express disbelief and horror at the news, especially when he discovered why the two of them had not been around to protect her. Secondly, the mention of Nasser's name would likely have him freezing in shock, and then dread and terror. Despite not being at all ready to face him, he would begin another chess game, trying to smoke him out so he could take him down before Yuuki ever managed to pop up on his radar.

This Kaname would not be able to handle him. Not when he was still ignorant about Nasser's pheromones. Not when he was completely unable to resist him.

Zero wondered what _he_ would do if Kaname did manage to track down Yuuki's killer. Even though he had had the satisfaction of personally killing him and taking his blood, the wrath and hatred that swelled up at the thought of having Nasser appearing before him again was overwhelming. He could almost feel his nails start to lengthen to claws, heart beating wildly.

Puzzlement crossed the pureblood's features as the he sensed the subtle changes in the hunter. With tremendous effort, Zero calmed his surging emotions, smoothing them back down. Recalling Nasser was useless right now; that could be done at a later time. Right now, he needed to find a way out of this conundrum.

Of course, he had another option – to lie that Yuuki was fine, that maybe she had decided to leave on her own, so that the two of them would not have to struggle over choosing between her and each other. It was a believable explanation, thought Zero. It was just the kind of thing that the soft-hearted, self-sacrificing Yuuki would do, just to ease their burden. He could even go further to say that the reason their relationship had remained only physical for years was because they had been frantically searching for her. But they had never succeeded.

Then again, he was sure that the thought of Yuuki being all alone in the world was definitely not something that the pureblood would like to hear. He would just further condemn their relationship.

'Zero?' probed Kaname, a politely enquiring look on his face despite the stark impatience in his eyes. Zero started, amethyst eyes shooting up sharply to meet the other's.

_No time to consider further_! _Make your choice!_

'I...Well, she-'

Zero would never know how he would have finished that sentence, because right at that exact moment, a few knocks rapped on the door, causing him to jump. While Kaname narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance, Zero lapsed into grateful silence, immensely glad for the interruption.

'Kaname-sama,' came Aidou's voice from outside the door. 'We got the book.'

Without bothering to form a reply, Kaname used his powers to swing the door open, admitting the two vampires in. Though he was dying to learn about what had happened with Yuuki, especially after witnessing Kiryuu's hesitation and edginess, the dusty book in the blonde noble's hands contained pertinent information about the root cause of all this. The future was not going anywhere. He could afford to wait for a little bit.

Once Zero spied the huge tome in Aidou's hands, his eyes widened. With all the conflicting emotions that had been roiling within him, it had almost slipped his mind why Kaname had sent Aidou off earlier. Palms sweating slightly in anticipation, he stepped closer to the three vampires, eager to know what the book said. Was this the ticket that could return him straight to his lover?

Aidou shot him a disgusted glare as Zero accidentally brushed his arm, recoiling away dramatically as if he had been touched by something filthy. Too distracted to spare him a second glance, Zero peered down at the open book in Kaname's hands.

'This page talks about the history, method and success rate of the spell,' explained Aidou to Kaname, pointing down at the various segments. Zero scanned the page, horror roiling off him when he realised an innocent human had been sacrificed for the spell to be cast. In a way, it was _his_ fault, wasn't it? That person had died for _him_.

Kaname glanced up at him for a second when he visibly flinched. The gaze in his eyes was surprisingly soft, considering that this was the vampire who, just mere hours ago, had been beating him to a pulp just to gain access to his memories. But when Zero blinked, Kaname's attention was back down on the book, turning the page purposefully, as if he had not just been staring at him a second ago.

'And this is the spell reversal!' exclaimed Aidou excitedly, jabbing down at the page and missing the pureblood's exasperated look.

Zero swallowed as he read the text. This was it. This was what he needed. Anticipation tingled through him like electricity, filling him with a heady rush of adrenaline. His heart was beating so rapidly that he bet that if it pumped any faster, it was going to just jump right out of his chest. Struggling to compose himself before he started hyperventilating – boy, wouldn't he just love to see their faces if that happened – , he took a deep breath, before letting his eyes trace the faint words on the crinkly, worn page.

_Spell Reversal: Has to be carried out on the next full moon night after the spell was cast._

At the first line, Zero's heart sank. Full moon night? Considering how it had been the first quarter the previous night, that would mean that the earliest he could ever return was in about a week. A _week. _Of not being able to speak to or embrace his Kaname. No gazing into the depths of dark, cocoa eyes; no feeling protected and warm in his arms; no tender kisses or sweet caresses.

How had he ever managed to last on those longer hunter missions before? Just the thought of a week without his lover's presence by his side now seemed impossibly hard.

Making sure that none of the other vampires had picked up on his frustration and longing, Zero continued reading.

_Both versions of the target have to carry this spell out at the same time. Refer below for the details of the spell._

A crease formed between Zero's brows. _Both _him and his past self had to do it together? How was that poss-

_Side spell: The Mindvader Spell. A sub-spell that works only on targets of the Time Switcher's Spell. Allows the two selves to communicate for the spell reversal. In carrying this out, one self will be able to infiltrate into the mind of the other. He will be able to speak to his other self, as well as see through his eyes, but otherwise, he remains as a silent guest, unseen and undetected._

Oh.

_Oh._

That meant he would be able to see his Kaname again! Not just six days of sitting around in agony, but he could actually get himself into the other Zero's body, talk to _him_, and also watch Kaname from there. Sure, he would not be able to actually speak to or interact with him, not with Past Zero dominant, but he would not have to suffer through so many days with totally no contact with his lover.

_Kaname. _His heart leapt in delight just at the thought of being able to see the pureblood again. How was he coping there? Having a violent, belligerent Zero around in his house was probably terribly taxing. Was he taking care of himself? Considering how the rest of the staff was away...

Zero shook his head resolutely. _Don't worry yourself. He'll be fine. And you'll be able to confirm that for yourself shortly!_

'There's one more note here at the bottom,' came Aidou's loud, grating voice, drawing the hunter's somewhat distracted attention.

The paragraph at the bottom had been typewritten in a smaller font, making it difficult for even his vampire eyes to make out under such dim light. But luckily for him, Aidou was continuing on, reading it out to no one in particular.

'Once the spell reversal has been completed successfully, the self from the past, as well as everyone else in that timeline who came into contact with him and his other self during the duration of the spell, shall lose all memories of that period. This prevents any alteration of the future. However, should the spell _not_ be reversed, any modifications in the past timeline _will _alter the future. Do note that once a full moon night has passed after the Time Switcher Spell was carried out, the spell reversal and Mindvader spell will no longer work.'

After Aidou finished reciting the words, a tense silence hung over the room as all four vampires contemplated the implications of that paragraph. Cold dread had washed over Zero, his previous mental struggle returning to him instantly, as if the metaphorical floodgates had burst open.

That meant that if he wanted to change the future, to save Yuuki from certain death, he had to remain _here_. If he finally decided that he wanted to take a chance and alter the future to prevent losing her, he could not simply tell the pureblood to watch over her, and then happily return to his own time, hoping both Yuuki and Kaname would be waiting to welcome him with open arms. Doing so would be as good as putting the gun to her head himself.

He... This...

If he considered it rationally, it was not even something he should be cracking his brain over, really. It was his happiness, for Yuuki's life.

It should have been a clear, obvious decision. One that the past Zero would not have hesitated to make. Not when he knew what was at stake.

Yet, Zero could not help the abject horror that had him frozen to the spot, muscles locked and rigid, as he thought about it. About leaving Kaname. _Forever._

He shuddered involuntarily, a pair of tender eyes gazing up at him in his mind's eye, a warm hand trailing down his bare skin, a light brush of soft lips against his own.

_Kaname...!_

* * *

Zero sat stiffly on the couch, face and body tense. Aidou's book lay on the seat next to him, open at the second page of the Time Switcher Spell. On his lap was a piece of paper, with the words 'Kiryuu Zero' filling up most of the white space. He had had some difficulty using Kaname's ink brush to trace the characters of his name, hands trembling ever so softly as he considered what he was about to do. Reading once again the words on the open page, he stilled, repeating the spell in his head. Then, hesitating, he glanced up at the pureblood.

Kaname was back at his favourite spot, leaning against his desk, arms folded, gaze calm and assessing. He nodded once at Zero, not saying anything else.

After Aidou and Takuma had been dismissed by the pureblood, the former throwing Zero hateful, suspicious glares over his shoulder as he left reluctantly, the silence that fell over the room had been impregnable, each lost in his own thoughts.

But soon, Kaname had asked if Zero wanted to carry out the Mindvader Spell, to see how everything was going there, and to inform his past self and the Kaname of that time about the spell reversal. Zero's eyes had widened in surprise. He had not expected the pureblood to suggest that idea, even though the hunter had planned on doing it anyway. Shouldn't this Kaname be hoping to alter the future so that the two of them would not end up together?

Truth be told, that _was _indeed what Kaname wanted. For this Kiryuu to remain in his timeline, so that they could change what lay in store for them. He was not a fool; he knew the hunter had been holding out on him while recounting the incidents, hiding much more than he had been revealing. And his more-than-suspicious reaction to being asked about Yuuki – something else, probably much worse than everything else he had been told, must have happened for the hunter to wear his emotions so openly on that usually stoic face. And if helping him to communicate with his past self and lover paved the way to his revelation of the truth, Kaname was more than willing to wait patiently. He had already seen for himself how the silver-haired prefect responded to violence. Instead of crumbling onto his knees and begging for mercy, like any other vampire would have when faced with a pureblood's wrath, all it did was make Kiryuu retaliate, even more focussed on defying him.

Plus, he _was_ curious to see how the spell worked.

Zero turned his head back down. Lengthening one of his nails into a deadly claw, he made a slit across his wrist, letting the blood drip down onto his written name. In a slightly tremulous voice, he recited the words of the Mindvader spell, observing how his blood was drawn towards the brushstrokes of his name, like paper clips being pulled towards a powerful magnet. As the ink absorbed the blood, the characters flashed a bright red.

Kaname watched in amazement as the deep gash across the hunter's wrist vanished within seconds. Their previous encounter had left him with no doubt of this Kiyruu's strength and power, but to have such accelerated healing, almost at the same rate as a pureblood's... Of course, he was not so naïve as to think that the two of them did not share blood. But even years of drinking a pureblood's blood would not lead to such drastic advancements in an ex-human's capability. He must have had more than just Kaname's blood. Faintly, he wondered what else the hunter had done, but when Kiryuu abruptly slackened in his seat, head lolling back against the couch, the pureblood's attention snapped to him immediately. The hunter looked as though he was merely asleep, with his eyes shut and his breathing even. The only indication of what had really happened was the faint glow of the blood-red words on the paper, signalling that the spell was currently in progress. The pulsing incandescent glow illuminated only the hunter's peaceful face, throwing eerie dark shadows over the rest of the room. Not that that bothered a vampire, of course.

Kaname sighed softly as he made his way over to the couch. Settling himself down onto the cushions, he leaned back, hands clasped loosely in his lap. Burnt sienna eyes settled over the unconscious hunter. So defenceless. Kaname could attack now, and Kiryuu would be totally helpless and at his mercy. The hunter's implicit, if misguided, trust in him was confounding, especially after all the earlier bloodshed. Or perhaps, he had been so eager to see his lover again that the thought had simply not crossed his mind. Uncharacteristic of the wary, mistrustful hunter, but not impossible, considering how close the two were.

It did not matter anyway. Kaname had no plans to get rid of him, at least not while he remained in the dark about everything that had transpired between now and the future. Dimly, he made an attempt to push against the hunter's mental walls, in the hopes that perhaps he could access his memories that way. But even unconscious, Kiryuu's defences remained sturdy and unyielding. Kaname thought he could _probably _break them down, given some time and effort, but that would require unnecessary force and result in disastrous consequences. It was not really worth it, thought Kaname as he eyed the other male.

So all he could do now was wait.

* * *

**Hey guys :) Been writing pretty much non-stop these past few days, trying to get as much out as I can :) My eyes and brain are pretty fried, so my sincerest apologies if this chapter did not satisfy. I was going to keep going, but then I thought this was a pretty good place to stop for this chapter, so here it shall end. If I continue to have as much free time as I've had, hopefully the next chapter shouldn't require _too_ long of a wait. Yay. See you guys soon and thank you for reading! :)**

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**gleish26:** You're welcome! Thank _you_ for your constant support and reviews :D Hahah I agree. Past Zero reminds me of a little curious kitten, exploring everywhere and snapping at anyone who comes close HAHAHAHA. Kaname's dream was pretty depressing, wasn't it... :( Hope both future Kaname and future Zero stop having such angsty, disturbing dreams. Hehehe I wonder who removed the page...? ;) LOL I love how Aidou is always getting himself and everyone else into trouble; he makes everything so much more interesting. I enjoyed having Kaname make himself look ridiculous; it's rare that he gets into a situation that he can't gracefully get out of, so this was a precious, priceless moment! I would also like to thank you for giving me the idea about how they would lose their memories after the spell was reversed. I hope you don't mind that I used it! And thank you once again for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

**Hi**: I JUST LOVE YOUR SUPER LONG REVIEW HAHAHA :D Okay, sorry for the dramatics. But seriously, thank you for taking time out of your day to leave such a dear, sweet review for me :) It really made my day! Hahah what you said about the culprits is true. I suppose I haven't really spent much time writing about them. I guess I prefer to focus more on the main characters, so the culprits... I probably won't give them _that_ much attention? But of course, anything can happen. Like how I told you I had planned on disregarding Nasser and trying not to have Zero change the future to save Yuuki, but look at how things are turning out hahah... I'm not quite sure if it's a good or bad thing... but that's how it turned out to be lol. Aww I know, I want to write more lovey-scenes as well :( All the heartbreaking angst is killing me and it's always difficult to write :( Oh, regarding Zero's mortality, I remember Blackened Wing had this portion in one of her fics, where Kaname had hopes that maybe Zero could live as long as a pureblood, considering how he was now so much stronger, especially after having consumed Nasser's blood. So I think that is great news for us, because it means they can stay together for a long, _long_ time more. HAHAH I loved the whipped cream part! I'm so glad it made you laugh :) I love writing about Aidou. He says and does the silliest things. If Zero's a curious, snapping kitten, Aidou's a big goofy puppy. HAHAHAH. Both of them suit each other well. Love their bantering and fighting; it's so childish yet entertaining. Whoa, thank you so much for your suggestion! I'm glad we had similar ideas because this was already somewhat written by the time I read your review :) Thank you so much for the idea and I hope this chapter satisfied you :) I'm wondering if I'm making it unnecessarily complicated, though... Hope it turns out fine somehow though! THANK YOU again for your awesome reviews and continuing support! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Here's chapter 9 yay :D Thank you all so much for your support, likes, follows, favourites, and amazing reviews! Replies are at the end of the chapter!

Before you begin reading this chapter, please take a few seconds to read the note below, if not you'll be terribly lost:

In this chapter, I will be writing from three perspectives, one of which is future Zero in past Zero's body. *erm, I don't think this is a spoiler right? It was very strongly implied in the previous chapter. Or so I hope.* That makes things slightly difficult to represent. However, I've come up with a system which I hope isn't _too_ confusing.

Here's a guide:

1. Kaname is hot. - general perspective, from either Kaname or past Zero's POV. My normal style of writing.

2. _Kaname is hot. _- thoughts of either Kaname or past Zero. Also a normal style.

**3. [Kaname is hot.] - future Zero's perspective**

**4. ****_[Kaname is hot.] - _****future Zero talking to past Zero**

If an explanation helps, the reason why conversations between past Zero and future Zero are in _italics_ is because they are both basically just thinking aloud when they speak to each other. And since I have always used _italics_ to represent thoughts, it just seemed to fit. And everything that involves future Zero is in '**[ ]**'s, so please do keep a lookout for them, if not it can get pretty confusing.

Also, please note that the Mindvader Spell allows future Zero to literally invade past Zero's mind, so he can hear all his thoughts. But the same is **not **true for past Zero. Hence, future Zero's musing go unheard by past Zero.

Okay, so this chapter is pretty long and draggy. I must always warn that it is slightly angsty, because of...stuff. You'll see :) Nevertheless, things _will_ get better, so have faith in that :) Without further ado, I present you to Switched's chapter 9. Hope you guys enjoy this and review too :)

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB!**

* * *

_PRESENT_

_[Zero?]_

Zero frowned, gaze swivelling from side to side. Around him, leaves rustled as a gust of wind blew through the fields of Kuran's compound. He could have sworn he heard his name being called... but no, that couldn't be. No one else was around. It had probably just been the wind blowing through some crevice, resulting in such a strange so-

_[Zero! You can hear me, can't you?]_

'What the hell?' cursed Zero aloud, eyes frantically searching around him. Louder now, it was unmistakably neither the whispering of the leaves nor the wind. It was definitely a voice. And it was strangely familiar, too.

_[Answer me, dammit!]_

His footsteps came to an abrupt halt, eyes widening in shock. He _definitely _recognised that prickly, irritable tone.

Had it finally happened? Had he finally lost it? Was he now doomed to live with voices talking incessantly in his head? Well, that was just peachy.

An exasperated sigh seemed to reverberate around his mind, causing him to jolt in alarm. One hand clawed at his head, even as he tossed it from side to side, as if such ministrations would dispel the monsters lurking within him.

_[Calm down, you idiot! I'm the Zero who belongs to this time period.]_

Now _that _got his attention.

'Z-Zero!?'

_[Do you want to appear crazy? You don't have to speak aloud; I can hear your thoughts perfectly well.]_

_What is this? Why are you in my head!?_

_[There's a spell that allows me to speak to you this way. You can do the same too, if you learn the steps. It's called the Mindvader Spe-.]_

_I don't care about _that_, I want to know whyyou're in my _head_!_

[Zero sighed in frustration. He had almost forgotten how unbearably annoying his past self had been. No wonder all the vampires used to hate him. Heck, _he _hated 'himself' right now. The boy was argumentative and impudent, acting out harshly towards others with no just cause. Biting back a scathing comment, he took a deep breath – metaphorically, of course, considering how he was only a voice in the back of this Zero's head –, before attempting to answer him.

_The spell reversal for the Time Switcher Spell – both of us will need to carry it out at the same time for it to work. So Mindvader is a sub-spell to allow us to communicate.]_

_So that's why you did it? To tell me about reversing the spell?_

_[...]_

_Hey, you still there?_

_[...Yeah, no, well... I guess I thought it wouldn't hurt to try it out. To see what things are like here, too.]_

_Right. Well, it obviously worked. _

_[Excellent observation.]_

Silence fell over the two Zeros for a moment.

_[Hey...]_

_What?_

_[Is... is Kaname around?]_

Zero narrowed his eyes at the casual mention of the pureblood's name. That's right, _this _Zero was the one who had agreed to become his protégé, to shaming the name of hunters everywhere and submitting to a pureblood.

_[It wasn't that simple, Zero. A lot of things happened that resulted in us becoming... like that.]_

_Oh yeah? Like what? What could have possibly been so terrible that you had no choice but to serve under a pureblood? Have you forgotten that it was a pureblood who murdered your family and condemned you to this life of hopeless bloodlust, wandering around aimlessly until you fall to E?_

_[Kaname isn't Shizuka. There are bad vampires, just like there are bad hunters. It doesn't mean they are _all_bad, does it?]_

Incredulity crossed the hunter's features. How could his future self be so stupid? How could he possibly truly believe that? He had _always _hated all vampires, regardless of who they were. It did not matter. What mattered was that they had ruined his life. They were the cause of everything that had gone wrong in his life. And that Zero had foolishly allowed his life to be upturned by another pureblood, even thinking that it was for the best, and actually defending him!

_[Zero, for god's sake, stop being so narrow-minded. An eternal hatred of all vampires is not how you should keep living the rest of your life.]_

_Oh, so pray tell, how _should _I be living then? Under the thumb of an arrogant, obnoxious pureblood?_

_[...This is going nowhere. Will you just tell Kaname about the spell reversal?]_

_...No._

_[You ass-]_

_Not unless you tell me what happened that caused things to turn out this way._

_[What?]_

_I want to know. I want to know what could have changed Kiryuu Zero from the person I am now, into _you._And then, once I get back to my own time, I'm going to do my damnest to make sure it _never _happens. Ever.]_

[Zero's metaphorical heart constricted. How could he tell him that reversing the spell would only lead to him losing all memories? That he would _never _be able to alter the future, even if Zero desperately wanted him to. That not only would he and Kaname end up as a couple, Yuuki... she would no longer be amongst the living.

He briefly contemplated what explanation Kaname had given this Zero regarding Yuuki's absence. Seeing as how the boy was still calmly idling about the villa, it was highly probable that the pureblood had lied. Not that Zero wouldn't have done the same, faced with telling a trigger-happy, vampire hunter that his most beloved person had been killed.

_Shouldn't you ask Kaname himself about that?]_

_Asking you will help me understand why you were so stupid as to agree to this._

[A surge of bitter anger surged up in Zero at the tactless, abrasive words. If only this foolish young boy knew exactly how much suffering all of them had had to endure to finally end up with some semblance of happiness. And here he was, dismissing it all as just one random, 'stupid' decision Zero had made. If Zero had a physical body with which he could punch his younger self, he would have done it right at that instant, without a moment's hesitation. Perhaps beating some sense into him would help dislodge the proverbial stick that was permanently stuck up his spiteful, cynical ass.

But still, even with only a voice, there _was _something Zero could do.

He _yelled_.

It wasn't words that he was shouting, just a loud, unbearable, incessant holler that resounded within this Zero's head as if it were an opera hall. It was just him venting his frustration and murderous rage at the other. Childish though it may have been, it was the only way he could act out under the very trying circumstances.

_Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, _he continued on and on, resolutely not letting up on the flinching boy._]_

_S-shit! What the hell is wrong with you!?_

Zero clutched his head desperately in both hands, staggering slightly on his feet as the mental assault never ceased, except for the precious seconds the future Zero took to catch a much-needed breath. But the brief respite was over as swiftly as it had appeared, with the insufferable droning once again dominating his mind, pounding relentlessly at his brain and making it physically impossible for him to even hear himself think.

_Stop it, you b-bastard!_

The demented hunter shouting in his head didn't let up in the slightest. If anything, he cranked the volume up a notch, causing him to emit a pained groan.

[Zero almost smirked as the boy grew increasingly agitated, pale fingers gripping his silver tresses so forcefully that it would appear to anyone else he was attempting to pull his own hair out. For a brief second, he wondered if this could be counted as masochism, but then he quickly flicked that thought away.]

_Damn y-you...!_

The prefect was all but collapsed on his knees, nails drawing blood as they raked down his scalp, breaths escaping in harsh, ragged pants. His head was being horrendously battered on the inside, as if it were imploding. This was agony. How long was his future self going to keep this up!?

_A-alright! I'll tell him!_

[Zero paused for a second.

_Oh? Tell who what?]_

The ex-human's head was reeling. Even though his future self had stopped for the moment, the echoes of his yelling remained stubbornly in his mind, such that it felt as though the onslaught was still ongoing.

_Don't push your luck, bas- _

'Shit!'

[Zero smirked as he started up again, the obstinate hunter's curses and hisses like music to his aggrieved ears.]

_Okay, okay! I'll tell Kuran about the reversal! Just stop already!_

[Zero smiled in triumph, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction at having bested his past self. In a way, it felt like he was finally dealing with the part of him that had used to loathe the pureblood so much. With the way things had played out so quickly then, Zero had never really had the time to reconcile the strong hatred he had used to have with the feelings he eventually developed for Kaname, what with their relationship progressing so rapidly. He had never really addressed that old part of himself, and what he had just done made him feel like he had, at long last, managed to tie up a loose end, of sorts.

_Smart choice._

Although the younger hunter scowled and growled menacingly, Zero could not help letting out a short bark of laughter.]

Massaging his temples in an attempt to ease the throbbing in his head, Zero got to his feet shakily. Then he turned in the direction of the house. He hated that he had been forced to submit to someone else, especially when it was his vampire-loving future self, but he was not one to break his word.

Also, his future self could easily repeat the torment all over again.

Until he figured out a way to kick him out of his head, he was stuck with him.

_[You can't kick me out, Zero. I'm here for as long as I want to be.]_

Exhaling sharply in frustration, the agitated hunter started walking towards the entrance, mentally hurling wave after wave of curses and death-threats at his 'guest', much to the latter's amusement.

But then his hunter senses prickled, signalling a vampire's imminent approach.

Hand immediately reaching for his gun, he tensed, footsteps coming to an abrupt stop.

_[No, don't! It's Kaname.]_

Zero glowered as the pureblood suddenly appeared right in front of him. He gave a growl when the brunette tried to step closer to him, warning him not to approach any closer.

'Are you alright, Ze-Kiryuu? I smelled your blood, so I came to check on – are you okay?

For Zero's silver hair was sticking out haphazardly, reminding one of an upturned mop, white yarn strands unkempt and dishevelled. The narrowed amethyst eyes were nothing new, but the orbs themselves seemed slightly darkened, like his lover's often were when extremely peeved at something. And his fingertips – they were stained with tiny patches of blood. A jolt of alarm passed through Kaname when he realised the smell of blood was strongest from the boy's scalp, under his hair.

Had Zero been trying to hurt himself? Could it be because of the time switch?

[The second Zero sensed his lover's presence, he had frozen. Time seemed to slow, even as his heart rate and breathing sped up – for a second, Zero wondered why it still felt like he had a body. Was his actual body back in the Night Class dorm reflecting all the emotions that he was feeling? - He waited impatiently with bated breath, dizzy with anticipation. He made sure to carefully conceal all of that from the younger boy though, not wanting him to blow up again.

When the pureblood had finally come into view, the hunter released a soft sigh of relief and contentment. It was as if he had been gradually drowning in a sea of oil ever since the previous night, only at this moment finally able to breathe again. All the stress and qualms that had been heavily weighing down on his heart fizzled away as his lover turned those beautiful, chocolate eyes onto him, concern and worry for him – okay, not quite _him_ – evident in their gorgeous endless depths.

_Kaname...]_

Zero baulked at the tender, longing way his future self whispered the pureblood's name. Okay, what the hell? Exactly _how _close were the two of them, for him to react in such a revolting manner?

'Kiryuu, what happened to your head?'

The pureblood's worried voice snapped his momentarily distracted attention back onto him. The ex-human recoiled in horror as he realised how the other had blatantly ignored his warnings, moving to stand right in front of him. Vehemently slapping away the enquiring hand the brunette was raising towards him, he jumped backwards, keeping a safe distance from him.

If only he could do the same with the voice in his head...

'Kiryu-'

'Your Zero's in my head.'

Kaname's brows furrowed in confusion. Was that supposed to be a sarcastic retort of sorts? If so, he did not quite understand.

'I'm sorry?'

[The hunter almost burst out laughing at the priceless perplexed expression on his lover's face. He looked so adorably confused that Zero just wanted to wrap his arms around him in a tight hug.]

Zero made a frustrated sound, impatience in his eyes.

'_Your _Zero, the one who belongs to this time, found a spell that allows him to invade my mind,' his repulsed tone a clear indication of how he felt about it. 'He's here now, being a huge pain in the butt.'

_[Look who's talking, insolent brat.]_

The pureblood had frozen, an unmoving Adonis hidden under the shade of the rustling leaves. A conflicting jumble of emotions flitted across his eyes, ranging from shock to hope, from joy to disbelief, from longing to confusion – they were constantly shifting, as if Kaname himself did not know which emotion to put in the driver's seat.

There was a moment of silence, during which future Zero remained fixated on Kaname's expressions, and past Zero got increasingly impatient and annoyed. Was the pureblood going to just stand there in stunned silence all day?

Just as Zero opened his mouth, a sarcastic remark about to spew forth, the pureblood's lips parted.

'Is tha– is that true?' rasped the pureblood.

He already knew the answer, though. After the boy's startling revelation, he had reached out with his mind, trying to lightly probe on the former's, in an attempt to discern if something was different about it.

And he had felt an answering echo from his once-missing bond.

_Zero!_ The pureblood could have wept, knowing that his lover was so, _so_ very close. If he reached out and hugged the body in front of him, would his Zero feel it too? If he kissed those soft, enticing lips, would his Zero be able to respond?

'Yeah, genius. But he's only in my mind and eyes. He can't do anything else.'

Kaname paused in the midst of his imagination. So his Zero couldn't take over the body, after all. If not... well, let us just say Zero would not be getting off his back anytime soon, if Kaname had his way.

But still, his lover, his light, his very _life_, was right there in front of him, unseen and unheard, but unforgotten, as well. Looking right through those amethyst eyes at him was not just a disgruntled prefect, but _his_ Zero. If only he could speak to him...

But then, he realised he _could_.

'Kiryuu, how is he doing?'

[Zero's eyes softened at Kaname's obvious concern for him. He wished so much that he could just knock this Zero aside and take over his body, before throwing himself into his lover's warm, waiting arms. The shadow of yearning and pain behind the pureblood's eyes mirrored the sorrow and regret inside him. Kaname too, was in the same situation as he was.

_Tell him I'm fine, Zero_.]

The hunter's eyebrow twitched. No way in hell was he serving as the conduit for these two idiots to communicate!

Ignoring both of them, and pointedly avoiding the pureblood's beseeching and disgustingly hopeful look, he pronounced, in a hardened tone, 'This Zero's here because of the spell reversal for the Time Switcher Spell.'

The anger and irritation that had welled up in the pureblood at his having his question unanswered melted away instantly at this news. Of course! Why had he not realised it before? Since the two of them had not gotten together until a few years ago, in the past where this Zero came from, Aidou's book would still contain the information that had been deliberately removed from his version. This was one way he could obtain the crucial information he so desperately needed.

'Does he know the spell for it?'

The hunter nodded in affirmation. At that, Kaname's heart rate sped up, excitement driving his heart to pump more and more vigorously. Soon, _soon_, he could have his lover back by his side, not just as a consciousness, but his actual, physical self. His fingers twitched, aching to trace his lover's face, to caress his smooth skin, to once more bring him intense pleasure and satisfaction.

[Zero's throat tightened at the innocently hopeful expression on Kaname's face. It was obvious that he could not wait to carry out the spell reversal. How could Zero tell him what he knew? That if they did, Yuuki would remain lost to them forever.

Then a thought suddenly struck him, as swift and unexpected as lightning in the sky.

What if... what if Kaname _wanted_ him to do it? To stay there and change the past? Zero knew the pureblood loved him, of _course_ he did, but if it came down to choosing between him and Yuuki, wasn't Yuuki a much better choice? If only on the surface, a sweet, patient woman like Yuuki was just the perfect fit for someone like Kaname, a stiff businessman who often neglected his health for the sake of work.

And then there was also the issue of children...

Ever since falling in love with him, Zero had always known that Kaname would be an excellent father. While the pureblood appeared cold and calculative on the outside, hidden beneath that hard exterior was the loving and caring Kaname he had grown to know and love. And Yuuki could give him that. Not only heirs who would eventually succeed their father's successful empire and continue pushing for coexistence, but also children that Kaname could adore and nurture. Zero could just imagine it right now – Kaname holding Yuuki gently in his arms, both gazing down tenderly at little brown-eyed, brunette vampires running happily around them. It was a picture-perfect family, one that Zero had no right to even be a part of, let alone _destroy._

And even though Zero himself _wanted_ to do it, to save Yuuki, how would it feel to hear the words personally from his lover? By now, he knew Kaname well enough to know _how_ he would make the request. He would tell Zero that he loved him very much, and it wasn't that he regretted anything, but Yuuki had been innocent. She had not deserved to die, not in the slightest. And that Zero, with his heightened strength and power, would be able to ensure that no harm ever came to her, or to himself. The three of them would be able to live their lives to the fullest, even if Kaname and Zero never managed to get together. Yuuki was worth all of it, wasn't she?

And Zero knew that. God, did he know it. Yuuki meant so much to him, to both of them. She was the light that had led them through the darkness each had been lost in, pulling them back to safety with her warm, tight hugs, and keeping them grounded with those dazzling, wide smiles. Her concern for their welfare, along with her ever-bubbly persona, was what had helped both of them forget the horrors of their pasts, and face up to the future. She had given them a reason to live for, to have hope.

Zero would never have made it through his younger years without her by his side.

And he would remain eternally grateful and in her debt.

But that did not mean that he saw saving her as just a way of repayment and atonement. No way. He _wanted_ to save her. So very much. To prevent those last few months of suffering for both her and them, where things had just been spiralling further and further out of control. Zero wanted the light behind those bright, gleeful eyes to shine on forever, never to get snuffed out prematurely. Especially not by a maniac of a pureblood whose only reason for doing that was to get Kaname's undivided attention.

Those were his heartfelt, sincere thoughts. They really were.

Yet, the thought of Kaname _begging _him to do just that, to sacrifice their happiness for Yuuki, just made his blood run cold.

Zero swallowed back the bile that had arisen in his throat. He had never thought he would have become so selfish, ludicrously hoping that Kaname would put _him_, a mere accidental bond-mate, over the girl he had grown up with and fallen in love with. What a joke. There was really no competition at all.

So then, all it really came down to was whether or not he wanted to do it. To change the past to ensure that Yuuki did not get killed by Nasser. Even if that meant losing Kaname.

And when he thought about it, putting everything else aside, he realised he could not let his selfishness take over. How could he continue living with the pureblood happily, all the while knowing that he had had the opportunity to save his best friend, but threw it away just because he did not want a life without Kaname? That was the stupidest reason ever.

Yuuki would make the pureblood happy, wouldn't she? She was what he had always wanted and yearned for. Zero truly believed she could do what he had never quite managed to – help the pureblood forget the horrors of his past, and walk by his side onto the path of happiness. She was the salve that could heal all his wounds; the lighthouse to his lost ship.

So. That was it, then.

His decision... it was made.

His heart was breaking into a million pieces, his chest throbbing with the agony of it, his mind and body numb and sick at the thought of never being able to see his lover again.

It hurt so much.

Everything hurt so much...

...but his decision had been made.

Yuuki had to live.

Since he had already decided, it was probably better not to tell Kaname about the reversal then. It would be so much simpler to take in as much of the pureblood as he could now, knowing it was the last time he could ever look at him, and then return quietly to the past.

_Zero, let's not tell him about the spell reversal anymore.]_

'Kiryuu? Can you tell me what the reversal is?' enquired Kaname, once it seemed like the boy before him was not about to continue anytime soon. But all Zero did was shake his head at him distractedly, an incensed scowl burning on his face.

_What the hell are you talking about? _You _were the one who tortured me into this._

_[I just-I don't think it's such a good idea. Let's just forget it.]_

'Kiryuu?'

Zero glared at the pureblood, snarling, 'No, okay?'

As if it wasn't enough that his future self had once again gone bonkers and undergone a complete change of heart, Kuran just would not get the message. He just _had _to keep probing, didn't he?

'Kiryuu, why won't you tell me? Please...I-I'll do whatever you ask in return.'

Kaname knew that his placid mask had cracked, and the desperation lurking inside had spilled forth, all for the younger vampire to see. He knew, but he couldn't stop himself. He knew what he was setting himself up for when he included that last part. Zero might ask to visit Yuuki at the Academy. Shrewd and resourceful as Kaname was, he was unable to think of a way to make that happen. Zero would probably find out the truth somehow, and that would just be cataclysmic.

But at this juncture, he really did not care. All he could see was the spell he needed, dangling in front of him by a thin thread. The only thing on his mind was getting to it, even if it meant throwing himself off a cliff to achieve that.

The hunter gaped at the brunette, eyes bulging, staring at him as if he had grown a second head. Had Kuran Kaname just said 'please'? Towards an ex-human, no less! How desperate to have his protégé back must he have been to lower himself to such an extent?

Zero opened his mouth, about to clarify what he meant when he said 'no', when suddenly, he realised the power he held in his hands. The pureblood had basically just offered him a trump card. He could ask for anything in the world right now, and Kuran would be forced to comply. He would be a fool not to make full use of this opportunity!

So, what was it that he wanted?

Trapped in this world that was not his own, there was very little he could want for. The only thing he could think of was to visit Yuuki at the Academy, to see how she was doing. Or to request a complete separation from the pureblood, perhaps with a small little place to call his own before they carried out the spell reversal.

But then, all those stuff were things he could do even without Kuran.

When it came down to it, there was really one thing he needed from the pureblood.

'Tell me about what happened between my time period and yours.'

Kaname's eyes widened. He had not been expecting that. Of course he had known that past Zero had been aching to ask him that, but he had not thought he would do it _now._ Yet, he could not renege on his word now, could he? Especially when the path to his lover hung in the balance.

_[Zero, don't! I'm not going to tell you the spell anyway!]_

Zero smirked slightly. _It doesn't matter. Kuran doesn't know that. He'll tell me anyway._

_[Zero, you don't want to know. Trust me.]_

Shaking his head grimly, as if he couldn't believe he had just said that, Zero sent a strong, resolute thought back at the intruder in his mind.

_I don't._

* * *

Being attacked by Ichiru.

Kaname saving his ass.

Kaname getting kidnapped.

Zero saving _him _in return.

Blood bond.

Yuuki suggesting the both of them become master and protégé, because they could learn so much from each other. Them extremely reluctant at first, but slowly warming up to each other.

Yuuki deciding to leave the two of them to follow in her father's footsteps.

Zero's mind swum with all the information he had heard, struggling to process them. They were all events that would soon hit him in the upcoming years, but for now, they felt like someone else's very melodramatic life.

But now he finally understood why Zero and Kaname had the relationship they had now. It was still appalling and ridiculous, but he could imagine how being rescued by the bloodsucker, together with that accidental bond, had caused things to turn out the way they had. He did not believe for a second that _he_ would react the same way though, not with his present intense hatred of vampires, but that was how _that_ Zero had changed. Won over by the pureblood's aid multiple times, blood bond making it impossible for him to avoid or kill Kuran – that was how things had progressed to such a stage.

But Ichiru... he sure had not expected that. Certainly, he knew that his brother had changed tremendously from the sweet, innocent boy he used to be, but to have been the one to personally butcher him... it brought things into a whole new light. So that was how little he now meant to his brother, that he would take such sick, twisted pleasure in hurting him.

A wave of hate surged up within him, so blindingly overwhelming that all he wanted to was bash something in. Preferably Ichiru's head.

_[He did help... towards the end. He helped us to escape.]_

_He got you into it all in the first place, idiot!_

_[Even if it hadn't been him, someone else would have been sent to do it.]_

Zero gave a derisive snort. His future self was really soft, wasn't he? Forgiving and forgetting everything so simply.

_[It's called a mature perspective, Zero. Something you clearly lack.]_

Kaname peered down at the suddenly-glowering hunter, eyes still tinted with unease. 'Kiryuu, I've told you what you wanted to know. Will you tell me about the reversal now?'

[Zero's resolution crumbled at the sight of his lover looking so broken and miserable, practically begging the ex-human. The pureblood thought that it was the obstinate younger hunter who was holding out on him, but in actuality, it was his own silver-haired lover who was refusing to give in.

His chest tightened. Even if relenting would cause them both more heartache later, Zero just could not bear to live his lover hanging like that. It was just unnecessarily cruel.]

Unable to hear the other's thoughts, Zero retorted, 'Sorry, but your Zero doe-'

_[No, wait!]_

_What _now_? _

_[I'll... I'll tell him.]_

Zero rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Stupid future self.

* * *

'Full moon night – that's in six days, isn't it?'

The hunter gave a curt nod, arms folded tightly as he slouched against a tree. He couldn't remember the last time he had spoken so much to _anyone_, even Yuuki_,_yet here he was, doing it to _Kuran. _What was the world coming to?

Kaname's shoulders sagged in relief.

Okay. _Okay_. Six days without Zero was going to be torture, but at least it was only a week. He could last _that_ long. Barely. He had no choice anyway.

'Alright, so then maybe we can do at about 8pm? Is that okay for you, Zero?' His eyes stared deeply into the lavender eyes in front of him, as if hoping he could somehow penetrate the flesh and muscles of the younger Zero, and catch a sight of his dear hunter, huddled in the dark recesses of a body that did not belong to him.

[Zero shivered at the pureblood's intense, probing dark eyes turned onto him. It felt like Kaname was staring right at him, as if he were seeing past the other Zero and looking directly at him. He wanted so much to be able to say 'yes', and watch his lover's wan face light up in happiness.

If only he could...

But he couldn't.

_No... It's not.]_

The younger vampire looked taken aback, shock twisting his features into one of dismay and frustration. He dragged a hand through his hair in vexation, muttering expletives under his breath.

_What!? You annoying bastard, don't tell me you changed your mind again?_

[Zero remained silent.]

'Kiryuu?'

Zero glanced up, a raging fire burning behind his eyes.

'The idiot said no.'

Kaname froze abruptly, transfixed with incredulous shock. How was that possible? Was this Zero lying? But the boy was practically having a conniption, his fury and annoyance so starkly displayed on his face.

Could it be true then?

_His _Zero, whom he wanted back at his side as soon as possible, was _refusing_? Had Kaname missed something?

A chill ran down his spine when he realised he _had._

What if Zero _wanted_ to stay in the past? Yuuki was there. The sweet, adorable girl who had always been by his side, fussing and worrying about him. If Zero had to choose between spending his days with her and with Kaname, which one would he pick?

Would he still choose him?

What if he chose her?

What would Kaname do then?

He blinked rapidly, turning his head away to hide the pathetic, traitorous tears that were beginning to form behind his eyes. That Zero would not _want _to come back had not even crossed his mind before this. But now, he saw the very real possibility. He loved Yuuki too, so it wasn't like he could not understand why Zero would hesitate. If Kaname had been in his shoes, he didn't know what he would do, either.

If he really loved Zero, he would be happy for him. He should be glad that Zero had the option to stay by Yuuki's side, protecting and loving her.

But then, why did it feel like someone was gripping his throat so tightly that his airways were totally sealed off? Why did it feel like he couldn't breathe, like his knees were about to give out at any second?

_Oh god, Zero. Please don't leave me._

Even if that was what Zero wanted, Kaname could _not _be happy for him. _Could not_ let him go. He would fight, using everything he had, to keep the hunter with him, even if it were against his will. Even if he had to give up everything.

_That _was how selfishly he loved Zero.

'Does he... does he want to stay in the past?' he asked quietly, taking great care to ensure his voice did not falter.

If the answer was yes, it would feel like his world was collapsing. But he would _not_ let it crush him. He would do whatever he could to keep the hunter by his side.

_I'll do anything and everything to stop you from slipping away, Zero._

[Zero's heart throbbed painfully. He had not missed the subtle changes in the pureblood. The pureblood did not cry often – heck, he barely even teared up –, but Zero had nevertheless learnt to recognise the signs.

And he felt _terrible_ being the reason. Was Kaname thinking that he didn't want to return because he would rather stay in the past? He couldn't be further from the truth.

Initially, Zero had not planned on telling Kaname his decision to alter the past. He had thought it would be easier for both of them if he just did it quietly. After all, the future would change the instant Zero did something differently in the past. Kaname would blissfully forget everything, continuing to live his days out. Zero would be the only one who had to suffer through this.

And he had been fine with that. With Kaname not remembering anything of their relationship. Of him. it was fine, as long as he could find greater happiness with Yuuki by his side.

But then Kaname had gone and guessed what Zero was going to do. And then he had come up with his own idea of _why _Zero was going to do it. One that was horribly untrue, but not to the pureblood who didn't know any better.

Zero groaned. It seemed like no matter what he did, Kaname ended up hurt somehow. He was such a lousy, inconsiderate lover, wasn't he?]

_Oi! What's your problem now?_

_[Because I wanted to change the past. To stop Yuuki from... from 'leaving' us.]_

_Huh? What's the big deal? Once I get back to my own time, I'll just make sure not to follow Ichiru, and nothing will ever happen. I'll save you from being stuck in a blood bond with this bloodsucker, too._

_[...You can't. Because, once the spell reversal is completed, you and the Kaname of your time won't remember anything that happened.] _

'What the hell?'

The hunter's unexpected, incredulous proclamation had the pureblood starting in alarm, worried eyes urgently seeking his out.

'What is it, Kiryuu? What did he say?'

'He said that once the Time Switcher Spell is reversed, the Kuran of my time and I won't be able to remember anything about all these,' growled the hunter, eyes unfocussed and staring off into the distance, clearly still conversing with his future self.

A faint crinkle appeared between the pureblood's brows. Why should their loss of memories be of any significance to his lover? In fact, it was a good thing, wasn't it? So that they would not fight their relationship, and things could just proceed as they should.

Then his brows shot up. _Unless...!_

'He said that to stop Yuuki from leaving you guys, he has to stay there and make sure it doesn't happen.'

So _that _was it. _That _was the real reason Zero had refused. Not because he didn't want to return to the pureblood's side, thank god, but because he wanted to save Yuuki. To prevent her death at the hands of a cold-blooded murderer.

But the reason did not change the result.

And if Zero's idea was to remain in the past, to alter things, then the future that Kaname was now living in would change. And he wouldn't know.

He wouldn't realise that a part of his heart, once bursting with tender love for his hunter, would now be desolate and empty.

He wouldn't even miss Zero. He wouldn't know _to._

And the worst thing, the thing that Kaname just could not accept, was that Zero would have to go through the rest of his life, carrying around the memories and knowledge of what had once been. The hunter would be forced to live on in the past, heavy with the knowledge that his own lover no longer loved him. No longer remembered him the way he should.

Kaname could _never_ accept Zero suffering like that. Not even for Yuuki's life in return. Not for anything in the world. Just... _no._

Whether Zero liked it or not, Kaname was not about to let him sacrifice his own happiness for Yuuki's and his. He knew, of course, exactly what kind of thoughts were running through his lover's mind. He had probably figured that Yuuki and Kaname would be happy together, even without him.

And maybe that would be so. If the two of them never knew what it was like to be in a three-way relationship with Zero, they would not find anything lacking. Yuuki would willingly give herself to Kaname, because she loved him. And he, her. Without the blood bond between pureblood and ex-human, Zero would never have fit into the picture.

So yes, Zero's plan _would _work out the way he thought it would.

But Kaname didn't want that. Not at all. He didn't want to lose his silver-haired beauty, the sweet, patient lover that had helped him through so much, remaining resolutely by his side all through those dark, trying times. To no longer be able to revel in his lover's rare, precious smiles, the ones that reached his lovely amethyst eyes and made them sparkle in delight; to run his fingers through his messy hair, threading through the soft, silver strands; to press his lips against smooth, soft skin, feeling their owner trembling lightly; to see pleasure painted on his lover's beautiful, sweaty face, as he panted softly and called his name desperately, all the while embracing him tightly – how could Kaname give all of that up?

The simple answer was that he could not.

'No way, Zero. Definitely not,' ordered the pureblood quietly but firmly. His tone was oh-so-gentle, but the steely look in his eyes left no room for doubt about where he stood.

[Zero inhaled softly, struck by a sense of wonderment. So Kaname_didn't _want to choose Yuuki over him, after all. Relief washed over him, guilt immediately following right on its heels. How could he possibly be happy that he had come in between the pureblood and Yuuki? But yet... he did. Knowing that his lover would not want to give him up willingly filled his heart with pure, unadulterated joy. A surge of protective love towards the other rose up within him. If Kaname could somehow look into this body and see him now, he would see the biggest, most genuine smile upon his lover's lips.

His lover's words meant so, _so_ much to him.

And they made it easier for him to do what he had already decided.]

Zero scowled up at the pureblood.

'Hey, I don't like the thought of being stuck here with you, either. But wouldn't you rather have Yuuki protected, instead of being alone at the Academy?'

Kaname frowned down at him. This Zero was immensely frustrating. He needed to talk to _his _Zero, instead of having to deal with this one's annoying sarcasm getting in the way. For a second, he entertained the thought of breaking into his mind like he had before, thus allowing him to converse directly with his lover. But then he sighed inwardly. Both Zeros would not appreciate that. All he could do now was speak truthfully and earnestly, and hope Zero would hear the words in his heart that he could not say with the other Zero here.

Ignoring the younger Zero's words, Kaname continued seriously, staring straight into his eyes. 'Zero. Don't do it.'

[Zero was getting increasingly uncomfortable, watching his lover's eyes darken slightly. He was not surprised that frustration was building up in the pureblood, but didn't he see? It was for both his and Yuuki's good! He just wanted them to both be alive and happy. That was all he could ever ask for. And now, he _actually_ had the chance to do so. Didn't Kaname want Yuuki back as well?]

_Hey, aren't you going to give me something to tell him? He looks like he's going to blow._

_[I...I've already decided.]_

When the sullen hunter relayed his words to the pureblood, Kaname's lips parted in shock, staring back at him in incomprehension. When he had heard about how Zero wanted to stay in the past to save Yuuki, he had thought it was just something he was considering, or waiting to hear Kaname's opinion about. Never had he expected the hunter to have already _made up his mind_, even before asking him. How could Zero have done that? Shouldn't it have been a decision for them to make _together_? Considering the fact that they were _lovers. _Besides, wasn't it Kaname's life that would be most affected by this, regardless of whether he remembered it or not? How could Zero decide this on his own?

Even more importantly, what could Kaname do to stop him?

He could not carry out the spell reversal without Zero's willingness to do it. And even if he somehow managed to find a way, once his lover returned, he would be extremely pissed at him.

The only thing Kaname could do was appeal to him with words, hoping that his lover would change his mind. He could do it. He _had _to.

'Zero,' he said, struggling to keep his voice calm and placid. 'Please, I think the way things turned out was really for the best. Don't you feel the same?'

Damn it! How could he persuade his lover when he could not express his love for him, whether through words or actions? Past Zero's presence was really obtrusive.

Said male was getting increasing frustrated at this situation. What were the both of them taking him as? A phone? He was pretty sick of being spoken _through._

_[I'm sorry... It's okay, you don't have to say anything else.]_

Surprise crept over the hunter at the unexpected apology.

_What the hell do you mean by that? He's not going to give up so easy!'_

[Zero sighed. It was true. He recognised the stubborn set of the pureblood's jaw, together with his pleading eyes. Kaname would not let this go so easily. Perhaps he should have just stuck to his original plan to not tell him anything. Right now, he couldn't decide which was worse, having Kaname request him to stay in the past to save Yuuki, or seeing him looking so anxious, desperately begging him to stay.

He had wanted to leave, with his last image of his lover a beautiful smiling one. But it appeared that was not to be, especially with the way things were proceeding. If only he could speak directly to him, or give him one last embrace... that would have been enough for him hold onto while he lived out the rest of his days in the past.

But that was asking for too much.

_Can you just tell him one last thing?]_

_...what?_

_[That I'm sorry. And thank you for everything._

Zero hated the thought of doing this, of just leaving his lover so coldly like this, without a proper apology or resolution, without a farewell kiss and hug, without sorrowful, lingering touches. But there was no other choice. His only comfort was that their last memory together had been one where they exchanged their feelings for each other. And that was enough. It _had _to be, anyway.

Taking one last, long look at the pureblood, soft brown hair waving in the wind – Zero had told him that it was getting too long, but the pureblood had just shrugged, saying it didn't look half-bad; his tall dark silhouette, with its strikingly handsome features that both females _and_ males couldn't get enough of; his deep, calm voice, so often tinted with his love or a teasing smirk; his precious smi-

No, that was enough. Any longer and he would lose his nerve. He had to go _now_, before his crumbling heart shattered totally, and before the tears and sobs welling up inside him fully erupted.

_Please look after him. Goodbye...]_

When Zero blinked, his mind was empty again. No irritating Zero to bug him anymore. And yet, he felt strangely empty. There were so many things that Zero could've taught him – about how to become a better person, how to fight his bloodlust better, etc. But it was too late now.

'Kiryuu, is he saying anything?'

Oh, right. He had almost forgotten about the raving mess of a pureblood standing before him. Despite himself, he could not helping feeling a pang of pity for Kuran when he saw those usually-emotionless eyes frantic and panicked. Cursing inwardly, he pushed those ridiculous feelings away, before swallowing hard.

'He left.'

Bewilderment filled the pureblood at those words. What? No, he couldn't have.

'He said he was sorry. And he also thanked you for everything.'

_No_. It was impossible. Zero would not have done something so unbelievable cruel. Leaving without a proper goodbye? While ignoring his feelings?

His lover would not have done something like that. No way.

And yet, the expression on the hunter's face seemed dangerously close to pity as he stared at him unflinchingly for a few seconds, hands shoved uncomfortably into his pockets, before walking back into the villa, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He was not lying, Kaname could tell.

But then... that meant Zero... left...?

With a sudden jolt, panic flooded him as the gravity of the situation hit him. Zero had returned to the past, to remain there forever. And as he altered the events of the past, Kaname's world would change, but it would be without his knowledge. He wouldn't even notice. And he would forget everything. And anything about Zero that really mattered, he would forget. _Everything _would change.

And Kaname had no way of even contacting him again.

Without any warning, Kaname collapsed onto his knees in the grass, entire body trembling in shock. This time, he could not help the tears that escaped down his ashen cheeks. His fists clenched, unconsciously tearing out blades of grass that had had the misfortune to grow where his hands had fallen. His chest heaved, desperately trying to drag oxygen into his body. But his lungs seemed to have forgotten how to work, just two still and unmoving organs resting within his ribcage. Totally the opposite of his heart, which was shattering into smaller and smaller pieces as his body racked with repressed sobs.

Had Zero just left him? Forever?

* * *

**Ooookay! You've managed to reach the end! I wonder if you guys found it as depressing reading it as I did writing it. Hahaha. Had to be done, though :( Regarding the next chapter, I'm not sure when I will be posting it, seeing as I'm going to be getting busy real soon. Of course I'll try my best to update as much as possible, and I definitely won't be abandoning this story :) So I hope you guys stick with this story :)**

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**Sungoddess64 **_- _Thank you so very much for your kind words! They really made me feel extremely happy :) There's more heartbreak for Zero in this chapter though T.T Thank you so much and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D

**Guest** - Thank you so much for the compliment! :) Hahah you mean present Zero with past Kaname and past vampires? It's pretty sad that they're all so hostile towards him :( Hope they warm up to him soon :) Thank you again and hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**babyangelholic** - Hehehe yay you read it all! Thank you for that! I've always found it intriguing why some chapters get _a lot_ more views than others... I guess people don't read everything unless they really like it. So thank you :) I'm glad you like the plot, though I would love to clear up any confusion you have regarding the earlier chapters. Feel free to ask here, or in a PM, if you have any questions :) I'm really excited that you find it interesting, and how you support Zero so much yay (he's my favourite character in VK ^^)! I hope this update was enjoyable for you, and thank you again for your kind words and review :)

**shia naru**_- _Whoa! I love your enthusiasm! Thank you so very much for your sweet words! They made me grin like an idiot when I read your review :) I hope this chapter satisfies you too:) Thank you for the review!:)

**perfectly flawed woman**- I like your username ^^ how meaningful! And your kind words just blew me away! I'm not sure I'm so deserving of such high praise, but THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D:D You don't know how much your words mean to me :) Hope this update didn't take too long? And that you enjoy it :) Thank you for your support and review! :)

**Guest** - Thank you so much for your compliment! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Wow, you guys. I really can't express my gratitude for all your kind words. Thank you ALL! To everyone who reviewed, followed, favourited, or even just read this story. Your support is what keeps me going, and it's what transformed a random, spur-of-the-moment idea I had when I was bored to death on a bus, into this full-blown, multi-chaptered fanfic. I've never done anything like this before, and you guys are really the greatest people to go through this journey with *tears of happiness*

THANK YOU. HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY THIS CHAPTER AND HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL SOON. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Managed to squeeze out another chapter before all the busy stuff starts. I initially wanted to combine Past and Present in this chapter, but then I thought it would be more organized if I separated them into different chapters. I'm still working on the Present chapter, so I thought I'd post the Past one first yay :) I think the Present one should be done either later today or tomorrow, maybe? But because they were supposed to be part of one chapter, Chapters 10 and 11 are hence not as long as my normal chapters, I'm sorry! (unless you guys prefer shorter chapters, then YAY.) Hehehe.

Anyway, I don't know if you guys have noticed, but Switched has a new cover image yay! I'm not much of an artist, but I saw this image in my mind as I was writing a random upcoming scene (yeah, I don't always write stuff in order XD ). If everything goes according to plan, you guys should be able to see the written form of this scene in the next, next chapter. Or next, next, _next_ AHAHAHA. Consider it a teaser haha. It would mean so much to me if you guys just took a second to look at it hahaha. I'm sorry they don't look much like who they're supposed to though... And I need to thank this website for the amazing filters that made it look much better.

Okay, I'm gonna stop rambling now! Here's Chapter 10! I'm realising my chapters are all _really_ draggy... my apologies :( Hope you guys enjoy it anyway! And review hehe :)

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB! **

* * *

_PAST_

Zero's eyes shot open.

Without a word to the other vampire sitting next to him on the couch, he jumped to his feet, rushing to the door and flinging it open. Down the stairs and past the two nobles he ran, all the while ignoring Kaname's perplexed calls.

He couldn't recall the last time he had run this fast. Everything flew by him in a blur, the very air whirling around him as his body sliced through it with astonishing vampire speed. The sun had risen to perch higher up in the sky now, and his skin tingled faintly from where the light rays grazed him, a stark reminder of how drastically his body physiology had altered, how he was now more vampire than human, more vampire than hunter. In the past, that thought would have had him clawing at himself, submerged in self-hatred and disgust. These days, it just something to shrug at and forget. At _this _moment, it didn't even register in his mind, the prickling sensation merely a ripple in the sea of emotions that Zero was currently drowning in. Just like the painful throbbing of his feet as they slammed onto the ground again and again, and the suffocating ache in his chest as his stiff lungs struggled to match their speed of gas exchange with that of his running. It was a futile effort, of course, but they had no choice but to try to keep up. It was simply the nature of things. Just like how it was nature to lose things precious to you...

Zero had no idea where he was heading, no destination in mind. All he knew was that he needed to get _away._ Away from everything - that room, the dorm, the vampires. Especially the vampire who looked exactly like his lover, reminding him of what he had lost.

_Kaname...!_

The single word was all it took for his body to give out. And then it was over. No more running away from reality.

Knees buckling, Zero collapsed against a tree, face pressed against the rough bark. Harsh, ragged pants spilled from his pale, trembling lips, his chest heaving from his strenuous running. Curling his body up into a ball, he dug his fingers into the trunk, dragging them forcefully down the rough, uneven surfaces, relishing in the pain that spiked down his arm. Skin tore and blood oozed, the red trails pooling in the ridges of the bark like tiny lakes.

The pain felt so good. Numbly, he repeated the action over and over again, progressively increasing the intensity and speed of his strokes, emotionless eyes watching impassively as his blood flowed freely down the tree trunk, staining the grass blades at the base a deep red as well.

It was addictive. The intense stinging of his fingertips was such a welcome distraction, from – no. From nothing.

Letting his eyes flutter shut, Zero cleared his mind, gratefully letting the pain overshadow everything. Every little emotion within him was gradually being masked by the pain he was inflicting on himself. If only he could do this forever... To forget...

'Kiryuu! What are you doing?'

All too soon, he was hurled out of his peaceful reverie, his hand wrenched away from its cathartic motions in a tight, constricting grip. His eyes opened, blinking dazedly.

_No!_ He didn't want to see _that _face. All the overwhelming, tumultuous emotions he had finally managed to bury deep within him rushed back up to the surface, bringing with them the intense hurt and heartache, the reason behind which he _refused_ to acknowledge.

'No! Leave me alone!'

He screwed his eyes shut, snapping his arm back, at the same time aiming a kick at the pureblood.

Kaname easily dodged the weak kick, releasing the other's upper arm as he took a few steps back. What in the world had come over the hunter? He had never seen the other in such a pitiful state, curled up so defensively and visibly shivering. Had something happened in the future?

His gaze flicked over the blood flowing down the ex-human's arm, matching it to the darkened lines staining the dark bark. Why was Kiryuu trying to hurt himself? Then his eyes narrowed as something that should have been glaringly obvious finally dawned on him.

He couldn't smell the other's blood. Or even his scent. Reliving the memories of the previous night, he realised that even then, even with all the hunter's blood he had shed, there had been no scent emanating from him.

How was that possible?

The ex-human suddenly shuddered, his hand weakly falling to rest on the grass. Sunlight reflected off something on his wrist, the sudden glare catching his eye and drawing his attention to a simple, silver band on the hunter's wrist. As far as Kaname knew, other than his piercings, Kiryuu had never worn any jewellery. Was _that _why?

'Kiryuu, that br-'

That was as far as he got before the hunter's eyes snapped open again, a fist thrust brutally towards his face as Kiryuu launched himself at him. It was only his lightning-fast reflexes that managed to save him from receiving a complimentary facial rearrangement.

Zero fell to the grass, fist connecting only with air as the pureblood threw himself off to the side, just narrowly avoiding the blow. Even though he was basically on his elbows and knees in front of the pureblood, he found it difficult to summon the drive to get himself up.

'Kiryuu, what happened?'

If Zero closed his eyes and blocked out all thoughts and memories, he could _almost_ pretend it was his lover asking him that, in a worried, dulcet voice thickly laced with concern...

But this _wasn't_ his Kaname. It was just a stranger who walked around with the same face and voice. Nothing alike, they were.

And he needed to remember that, especially since he intended to stick around for a long, _long_ time.

Zero took a deep, shaky breath, fighting back the tears threatening to spill over. He had to stop feeling sorry and miserable for himself. _He_ had made the decision to leave Kaname. It had been _his_ own choice. His present behaviour and denial was just been plain _pathetic_.

_Get a grip, you fool!_

Exhaling sharply, the hunter got to his feet, desperately burying his inner turmoil under a concrete mask. When he turned to meet the pureblood's gaze head-on, his face was as guarded and apathetic as ever.

'Nothing happened. I spoke to Kaname and told him that I would be staying here.'

Kaname had blinked at the sudden change in the hunter's demeanour. He had seemed in the midst of a mental breakdown, but in a flash of a second, he was suddenly back to his old self, as if nothing had happened. And what had he said? He wanted to stay? For Kaname, that was _great_ news for sure, but he could not help wondering...

'Why?'

Zero shifted his gaze away. That's right, he hadn't told him about Yuuki yet. At least now that he had heard how his Kaname had explained her absence to past Zero, he could simply use that for himself.

'After our blood bond was formed, Yuuki decided that she didn't want to make things difficult for us. She decided to stay at the Academy, to help her father run the school. I'm staying to make sure she doesn't end up alone again.'

Wary russet eyes bore into his. 'Did something happen to her?'

Zero faltered. Even though he had decided to remain here, he had not wanted to divulge more information to past Kaname than was necessary. He could deal with everything as they happened in the order they were supposed to. If Kaname knew about Nasser, he might prematurely engage him. And even with Zero here to aid him, this Kaname was _far _from ready to deal with that conniving bastard. Hence the lie about Yuuki remaining at the Academy.

But this question... It wasn't something that he could lie about, especially not when the pureblood seemed to already have his own suspicions.

Guess Zero had not been able to maintain as stoic a façade as he had hoped.

'She was attacked. We don't know who.'

Peachy. Yet another lie. Zero was just drowning in them. How was he possibly going to keep up with all of the ones he had told the pureblood? Rubbing his face tiredly, the hunter made it easy for himself. He simply decided that he just didn't care. He would cross that bridge once he reached it.

'I see.'

Despite the calm, controlled reply, the pureblood's jaw muscles were taut, eyes narrowed in ire that his dear Yuuki had been hurt. The fact that she had been thus vulnerable because of relationship between the two of them just made things infinitely worse. And it also further reinforced his determination to alter the future.

But that did not mean he had forgotten Kiryuu's earlier outburst.

And he didn't know why he should care, really, when all this had started because of the hunter in the first place, but perhaps it had something to do with the memories he had seen within the necklace. It was difficult to watch memory after memory of a split-image of yourself so in love and intimate with another person, and still be able to hold pure, unbridled hatred and anger towards that same person.

'Kiryuu?'

'What?'

A pause. 'Are you... okay? With leaving the future.'

It wasn't like he really cared. He was hardly about to put his enemy's happiness above Yuuki's welfare, after all.

But for some reason, that question had escaped his lips. And in such a gentle, caring tone too.

Kaname cursed inwardly. What in the world was wrong with him? Kiryuu Zero was just a hindrance and burden, nothing more! Whatever the hunter's answer was, swore the pureblood inwardly, all he was going to get was Kaname's silence and departure. _That_ was what he should have done right from the start, when he saw the crazed hunter hurting himself on a _tree_, instead of attempting to stop him.

Zero's heart thumped painfully and his hand unconsciously shot up to clutch at his chest, as if that could somehow lessen his anguish.

'...I'm going to go find Yuuki and head to class.'

If this Kaname insisted on harping about this, Zero was going to sock him. He swore it.

Thankfully, the pureblood simply nodded, an indecipherable expression on his face, before he vanished without a word.

Once he was gone, the Zero's tense shoulders sagged. He lowered his head, turning away in the opposite direction. The spiteful memories were back in full force again, gripping him tightly in their cruel hold and preventing him from escaping the agonising pain they wrought as the vivid images flashed across his mind, a never-ending playback of all the memories he and Kaname had ever created together.

For a second, he let his mask crack, features twisting into a despairing grimace, sorrow and misery bathing his amethyst eyes. But then he shook himself mentally, forcing those emotions down. Ignoring the unbearable ache in his chest and the warm stinging in his eyes, he made his feet move, heading resolutely towards the Day classes. Not once did he glance back. The bloody trails along the trunk lay unheeded and forgotten, their previously vibrant red colour dulling to a coppery-brown as the fluid dried, a light breeze speeding up the process.

As the graceful wind continued to blow, rustling the leaves of the trees high above, the flora on the ground, too, fluttered daintily from side to side. Long blades of green, dewy grass parted as they danced their random, silent routine.

All save one.

A sole blade of grass remained motionless, not answering the wind's invitation to participate in its dance party. A lonely rebel, pressed flat against the ground by the heavy weight resting on it.

A single drop of Zero's tear lay upon that lone grass blade.

* * *

'Zero! You got your necklace back?'

Yuuki had run up to him the minute she spotted him entering their homeroom, sharp eyes immediately spotting the familiar bulge under his top.

Knowing he had to remain inconspicuous if he wanted to stay on in this time period, Zero had returned to the dorms after his near breakdown – he scowled at the thought. It had _not_ been a breakdown –, squeezing himself into his old prefect's uniform. It was slightly too small for him, especially with his more defined muscles, but it mostly fit, if only a little short - in fact, any female who saw him would think him unbelievably sexy, dressed in tight-fitting clothes that clung stubbornly onto his body, revealing every curve and contour of that muscular, chiselled body.

Staring at himself in the mirror, dressed in that familiar, black uniform, it was as if he was back in the past; as if the past few years had never happened. As if he were still that stubborn, prickly prefect who hated all vampires with a vengeance, whose only joy in life was being by Yuuki's side and exterminating Es.

Zero smiled softly at Yuuki's worried face.

'Hey, it's okay, don't worry. Kuran was surprisingly civil when I went to ask for it back. Nothing happened, I promise.'

If he had been Pinocchio, his nose would've tripled in length at those words. 'Nothing happened', indeed! If being beaten to unconsciousness in the forest, paying his lover of another time dimension a visit, and deciding to leave him forever was 'nothing', then Zero didn't want to stick around to wait for 'something' to hit him.

But the innocent Yuuki didn't need to know all that he'd been through.

Thankfully for him, the female bought his act. Heaving a sigh of relief, she grabbed Zero's wrist, pulling him towards his seat with a 'class is about to start! Go sit!'

Zero spent most of the day in a daze, resting his head in his palm as he stared out the window at nothing in particular. His teachers did not fail to notice his lack of attention, of course, calling on him often to answer their questions, hoping to be able to berate him for not listening. But even though it was obvious to all that he was completely tuning their lessons out, he managed to answer all their questions perfectly, thoroughly baffling both the teachers and his fellow classmates. It was as if his mind already understood whatever was being thought.

Of course, that was because it _had._

Not that he was about to tell anyone that.

* * *

For the umpteen time, Zero sighed softly, lying back on the grass, arms folded behind his head. He was beginning to wonder if he had tunnel vision, because his mind was once again brimming _only _with thoughts of Kaname, cruelly tormenting him with what was now lost to him. But thankfully, while he could not prevent the memories from reappearing over and over again like a broken tape, he _could_ control the emotions that accompanied them.

Well, not so much control as squash into a teeny ball and shove it deep, _deep _inside him. Still, that was _one _thing he could be grateful for. As if he needed Yuuki, or worse, anyone else, to spy the grief and pain that was constantly with him.

Zero gazed up at the sky. God, even that cluster of clouds looked like Kaname, in those precious moments when he grinned, eyes glinting devilishly as he teased the hunter.

Said hunter exhaled sharply, shutting his eyelids so forcefully one could almost imagine an audible 'snap'. Was his mind so far gone that _anything_ reminded him of the pureblood?

Steadfastly refusing to open his mind up to further bittersweet reminiscences, he let his senses roam, sensitive ears picking up on whispered conversations here and there, littered with the occasional laugh and shout of the students milling about the grounds. Day classes had just ended and most students were still hanging about. Even though Zero had settled himself in a spot amongst the trees some distance away from them, he could still hear the flurry of activity around him.

When Zero had been younger, he had always cursed his vampire hearing, because it forced him to listen to his classmate's ridiculous problems and stories, unless he was totally focussed on tuning them out. He had always scoffed at them then. What were their troubles compared to that of a hunter turned vampire? A Level D constantly fighting the horrible bloodlust gripping him so frequently? While they were sobbing over rejected confessions and bad grades, and gushing about the latest fashions and computer games, Zero's mind had been bursting only with thoughts of how _not _to lose control of himself and drain them all dry. If only they knew _his _deepest, darkest secrets, he had thought bitterly. Would they still be able to complain about theirs as if it were the end of the world?

Well, he had been an angsty kid back then.

Right now, however, he was glad for the distraction their conversations presented. Getting swept up in the mundane topics did help – however laughably insignificantly the help was – to assuage his own misery. As he eventually tuned out, bored with the humdrum, the distinct, individual voices all merged into a single sea of sounds, growing fainter as his attention wavered. The distant echoes of voices fell over him like a lullaby, gentle and soothing.

It wasn't long before Zero was relaxing back against the grass, mind slowly drifting off. If it had not been for a sudden excited shriek, he would have fallen into a peaceful slumber. As it was, the high-pitched voice cut through the sleepy haze in his mind, disturbing his comfortable state. A low growl started in the hunter's throat, his brows furrowing at the rude interruption. Stubbornly refusing to leave the relaxed state he was finally in, he shifted onto his side, eyes still firmly shut.

But then a name, gushed out by the same grating voice, sharply penetrated his mind, forcing his eyes to snap open.

'...oh my god! Doesn't Ichiru just look so delicious?'

Zero sat upright stiffly, gaze urgently seeking out the owner of that annoying voice.

She was standing some distance away from him, flanked by two smaller girls.

However, it wasn't them that Zero was interested in. His narrowed amethyst eyes followed the fangirls' gazes, tracing the back view of one Kiryuu Ichiru.

His brother was striding towards the back of the school purposefully, staring straight ahead of him.

Despite himself, a small part of Zero's heart softened at the sight of his twin. It seemed like only yesterday when Ichiru had been that sweet, sickly boy gazing hopefully up at Zero, begging him to take him outside to play in the snow even though their parents had strictly forbidden it. He almost smiled at the memory of his brother's scrunched up face, lavender eyes welling up with tears, when Zero had refused, insisting that it wasn't safe.

If only they could return to those days...

But then he shook his head furiously, flinging away the memory and nostalgic feelings. That part of his life was _long_ over. His most distinct memory of his brother now was when he had been standing over him, slicing his throat open and leaving him to bleed to death. Though he had never told Kaname, even now, he still occasionally had nightmares of being trapped immobile on his back, unable to even gasp, feeling his life source pouring out of his body, leaving him weaker by the second. He would jolt awake, sweat plastering his hair and clothes – in those rare occasions where they hadn't just spent the night together making love – to his skin, huffing and wheezing for breath, heart sputtering like crazy in his heaving chest. It was only Kaname's soft, steady breathing and warm protective arms around him that would calm him down, lulling him back into a peaceful slumber in his lover's embrace.

Of course, he now knew that it had all just been a ploy to get at Kaname.

That knowledge _sure_ didn't make things any better.

And knowing what was to come just made Ichiru's present elusive actions that much more suspicious.

Swiftly getting to his feet, Zero made a beeline for his brother, making sure to pace himself so that he was still inconspicuous to the other students. He didn't really know what he was hoping to achieve by following his brother. If he found him conversing with Rido and Ichijou, what would he do? Make a futile attempt to persuade him _not _to? Or...?

...kill him?

Even though Ichiru had been the one that had attacked him so cruelly, who had been the crucial participant of a plan intended to hurt Kaname, Zero wasn't sure if he could _kill_ him. Wasn't sure he could look him in the eye, see past the image of that little boy clinging onto his arm, calling out 'Zero' in that excited, loving tone, and then stick a silver vine right through his heart.

Past Zero _was _right, he thought grimly. His sentimentality would one day be his undoing.

He paused before the corner of the building, counting mentally to make sure it was exactly twenty seconds after Ichiru had turned the corner before he went around it.

No one was there.

Zero cursed aloud, raking a frustrated hand through his silver tresses.

_Damn it!_

* * *

_It wasn't today_, thought Zero as he lay back on his bed.

But then, he had already known that.

Even though it had been many years ago, Zero still remembered the events that had played out on that fateful day. In the morning, Kaname had told Yuuki about knowing her past, and she had subsequently promised herself to him. Zero vaguely remembered how incensed he had been at the pureblood, feeling as if he had forced her into it. He recalled feeling both horrified and terrified at the thought of Yuuki leaving him, of her being turned into what _he _was.

The note from Ichiru had only come later that afternoon, just before his last class, begging Zero to meet him at the back of the school.

All day, Zero had been waiting for the note to come, even though he knew that it wouldn't. Because if today _had _been the day, Kaname would have called Yuuki out.

But he had not.

Zero shifted onto his side, watching the plump moon nestling lazily up amongst the clouds in the night sky.

_'__Spell Reversal: Has to be carried out on a full moon night.'_

Even though he had no intention of carrying out the reversal, Zero's mind automatically calculated the days. There were seven days, or more accurately, _nights_, between the moon's first quarter – on which night the Time Switcher Spell had been carried out on him –, and the next full moon night.

Tonight was already the second night. If he had not decided to stay on in this time period, there would be only four more Kaname-less nights before he could return home. Four more nights to seeing his lover's tender smile, to feeling the warmth of his touch, to hearing his melodious voice whispered in his ear.

_Stop it. Stop remembering him._

But how could he? He had lived with the pureblood for _years_ now. Waking up next to him in the same bed almost every day, being constantly by his side – that had been his life. A most wonderful, blissful life, despite the occasional fights that cropped up.

Could Zero really do this? Could he really leave Kaname?

_'__Mou, Zero!'_

His mind abruptly flashed back to a couple of hours ago, when he and Yuuki had been at class changeover. A strong sense of nostalgia had thoroughly overwhelmed him as he and Yuuki stood across from each other, holding back the crowd of jostling, rabid fangirls waiting for the Night Dorm gates to open. How many years had it been since his last changeover at the Academy? He could barely even remember what it felt like. Yet, when he had been standing there, shooting the Day Class students his trademark scowl, it had all come rushing back. Like it had been something he had been doing every day.

The same feelings of annoyance had surged up within him as the girls squealed and shrieked, their shrill voices rising up to unbearably high decibels as the gates finally creaked open. Like it always had, his eyebrow twitched in irritation when Aidou was the first one striding out, grinning and blowing kisses to all his screaming fans.

But of course, not everything was the same. The feelings he had when he regarded the vampires were far from the hatred and disgust that had filled him in the past. The vampires, too, had all seemed to sense the change in him as well, gazing at him curiously as his firm gaze met each of their eyes, with no trace of loathing and revulsion in his earnest amethyst orbs. Ruka had glared at him the longest, before pointedly looking away.

When Kaname had stopped in front of Yuuki as per usual, patting her head gently and murmuring a warm 'good work, Yuuki', Zero had to practically bite back a grin at how flustered she had become, face turning a bright beetroot as she stammered out a 't-thank you, K-kaname-senpai!'

A still-flushing Yuuki had smacked him for his poorly-hidden amusement after that.

_'__Mou, Zero! Stop making fun of me!'_

xxx

Back in his dorm room, Zero let his eyes flutter shut, heart thumping steadily in his chest. The moon's glow washed over his figure, basking him in an ethereal glow. Pale skin and soft silver hair practically glittered on the white sheets, a breath-taking, shimmering work of art arranged beautifully on the bed.

Yes...

* * *

**Yup, yup, that's it for this chapter! Again, I'm sorry nothing very much happens in this chapter. It's all about Zero coming to terms with what he's decided to do. I don't know if him reacting that way in the forest is OOC for him, though. I hope not... Because I didn't want him to just cry it off, because I can't imagine him as a crying sorta person. Not that Kaname is, of course, but then, Zero came to his decision gradually, while Kaname was suddenly told to accept it. **

**Okay, but yay, past Kaname seems to be softening towards him a little, doesn't he? :)**

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**BlackAbyss: **Oh, wow, that's like the highest praise I've ever gotten! O.O But I'm really sorry for making you cry T.T Don't cry, kay :) Most of the angst is over (for now). They'll be together soon :):) Thank you so much for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D

**babyangelholic: **Hmm for me I feel like erything that happened in Blackened's story was just so fast, and Zero, too, was just swept up in everything that happened. Bond with Kaname, three-way r/s, settling into a comfortable relationship with Kaname, etcetc. And I think Zero's never had to consider giving himself up for Yuki and Kaname's happiness. There was never really a choice before between Z and Y, except for that time when Rido kidnapped the both of them and had K choose. Even then, we saw how Zero _wanted_ to be sacrificed for Yuuki to live. And so it's pretty much the same now. Even though he has so much more to lose now than his life, he will still always choose Yuuki and Kaname's welfare over himself. Which is sad, of course... T.T But it's how I see Zero's character. Self-sacrificing, to the point of stupidity hahaha. Haha don't worry, Kaname has his own plans ;) Thank you for the review! :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! :)

**Guest: ***secret smile* We'll have to wait and see for that, won't we? :) And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review:):)

**kanamexzero fan:** I'm really happy this story evoked so many emotions in you :) I think I spend waaaayy too long delving into the feelings of the characters, and I still don't know if it's annoyingly excessive, but knowing that at least they managed to bring out emotions from my readers makes me super glad :):) Yeah, Zero, you really should listen to Kaname and to all the reviewers! Don't be so foolish! T.T Awww, I think Zero regrets making you cry :(. I'll make sure to punish him suitably hahahaha! Thank you for your kind words and hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)

**perfectly flawed woman: **Haha, Kaname will _definitely_ fight! ;) And your idea changed how the rest of the story was supposed to go, so I sincerely thank you very much for that! :):) You made me rethink my whole plot and I've tweaked it so it's now better (I think?) than it was before yay. It won't go down _exactly _that way though hehe. Oh, don't worry, this won't end up a threesome :) I ship Kaname and Zero together alone (I hope this isn't bad news for any readers who are hoping for a threesome though...) hahaha. Hope this update was fast enough... even if nothing very much happens here. But please enjoy this chapter and thank you once again for your review and suggestion :)

**shia naru: **YAY! I'm so glad you loved the last chapter, even though it was so depressing! I felt _super_ bad for present Kaname too :( This chapter kinda answers the 'what happens next with present Zero' part a little, I hope :) And ooh! A shift in the r/s between past K and present Z? Could it be? hahaha. Thank you so much for your review and overwhelming support! Hope this chapter was enjoyable for you :)

**angelionfire: **They'll only be apart for awhile :) Don't worry! :) Thank you so much for the review and hope you like this chapter :) Though it doesn't do anything to ease the pain of their separation.. Hehehe.

**Sungoddess64: **It really _was _ heartbreaking, wasn't it? T.T It was hard writing and rereading it.. :( But yay that it makes you look forward to more :) Thank you for your support and reviews and hope you like this chapter too! :)

**gleish26: **HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE LONG REVIEWS? THANK YOU! My heart raced in excitement when I saw your huge paragraph :):) Oh, were you too busy to read the new chapters when they were updated? But, it's okay, at least you get to read them now :) You're welcome for them :) it's my pleasure to write for all you guys :) And yeah, past Kaname... He's kinda scheming, isn't he? Maybe that little segment involving him in this chapter can help you forgive him even a little haha. YAY I'm glad I managed to capture a suspense-y kinda feel regarding the spell reversal part hahaha. Thank you for enjoying that :):) Hahah yeah! You were right about Zero being the self-sacrificing kind of person. Even though the decision was so hard to make, he did it anyway. YES PRESENT KANAME ROCKS SO MUCH. He's such a sweetheart! Like you said, even if it can save Yuuki, he wouldn't want to do it because it would hurt Zero so much. He's an awesome, _awesome _lover that Zero better not let slip! Thank you for complimenting the previous chapter, I'm really glad you liked it :) Oh, no, please don't apologise for that; I can understand you perfectly haha :) same wavelength, I think LOL. ***spoiler*** I'm gonna be talking a little bit about the possible culprits in the next chapter, so stay tuned :D Thank you so much for this awesomely long review and for your continual support all through these 10 chapters! I hope you enjoy this one as well! :)

**A huge thank you to everyone who gave up some minutes of your day to read this little fanfic. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! And see you guys all soon in the next chapter! You'll get to see Kaname then :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! As promised, Chapter 11! Sorry that it's short, but you guys finally get to hear more about the possible culprits behind this whole situation! FINALLY. I need to mention that I have no clue about business dealings whatsoever, so everything is left deliberately vague. Hopefully I didn't make any weird mistakes, too. I would also like to point out that in writing this story, I have kept to the Japanese convention of writing names, i.e. family names first. That is why I say 'Kuran Kaname' instead of 'Kaname Kuran.' So Reiya is a family name.

Okay, then! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please review :D

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB**!

* * *

_PRESENT_

'Kaname-sama?

The pureblood did not stir from his position on his recliner chair. The quiet voice hesitated for a few seconds, waiting for a reply that was not about to come. But then, it continued softly. Its owner would normally not have dared to continually disturb the pureblood when it was obvious he wanted to brood alone, especially with the dark, oppressive aura emanating from within the study. But the news she brought was one she knew the pureblood would want to hear.

'My research has revealed that recently, queries were made within the vampire community regarding the Time Switcher Spell.'

Kaname's ears perked up at that information, the depressing fog swirling about his mind clearing ever so slightly as he processed Seiren's words.

'...What else have you found?'

The female vampire sighed in relief inwardly, even though no trace of it showed on her face or in her voice. Even if it was only for a short while, she wanted Kaname-sama to have a brief respite from his despondent ruminations.

'All tracks made were very thoroughly covered up, but I managed to trace some loose ends back to a pharmaceutical company, Reiya Pharmaceutical Holdings.

A crease formed between the brunette's brows. Reiya Pharmaceutical Holdings? They were a rival company, often competing for the same contracts and land space. More often than not, Kaname's pharmaceutical company was the one that emerged victorious, snatching deal after deal from right under their noses.

Not that Kaname resorted to any unscrupulous means in his business dealings. He didn't have to. His name and reputation was enough to have companies and land-owners lining up to offer contract deals. He was vaguely aware that before he had started dipping his toes into the pharmaceutical industry all those years ago for Yuuki's sake, Reiya Pharmaceutical Holdings had been monopolising that field. Despite the owner being only a noble vampire, even Sato Daichi's enterprise had struggled to compete against them, which explained why Daichi had been so keen to offer Kaname his assistance then, hoping to foster better business relations to help his company gain a competitive edge over Reiya's.

The company had been established many centuries ago by Reiya Ibuki, a noble vampire. While most entrepreneur nobles remained content with maintaining modest companies so long as they raked in enough profit, Ibuki had baulked at the societal norm of noble vampires shying away from expanding their outreach and delving into international dealings, for fear of stepping on any pureblood toes. In those days, all the industries' big players had been purebloods, and no noble vampires dared to step so much as an _inch_ into their territory.

But Ibuki had been different. He had slogged his guts out to expand his pharmaceutical company internationally, blatantly disregarding all incredulous looks and cautionary threats that had been thrown his way.

And, much to the shock of vampires everywhere, he had done it. The first noble vampire to ever successfully run a business empire without a pureblood holding the reins behind the scenes.

No one had expected his success to last long, especially since the lifespans of noble vampires were laughably miniscule compared to those of purebloods. His pureblood competitors had scoffed at his success, biding their time until he died and the industry would once again be theirs to rule.

But Ibuki was no fool. He made sure to sire countless children, testing and judging their capabilities all throughout their lives until he found the perfect successor. On his deathbed, he had reluctantly signed everything over to his son, Hisoka.

Hisoka had turned out to be the perfect carbon copy of his father, leading the company to even greater success that had only continued to snowball, until the business had finally taken over the industry, wiping out all other competitors.

Presently, the company was being managed by Hisoka's daughter and chosen successor, Chikako, a quiet, seemingly unassuming woman. Despite her manner and appearance, she was a natural leader and businesswoman, having been trained all her life to take over the reins of the company.

However, after Kaname's unexpected entry into the industry had blasted Reiya Holdings' monopoly wide open, the public had slammed her with harsh judgements of ineptness, having led the fruit of her father and grandfather's labour to its ruin.

Some time ago, after losing yet another deal to Kaname's company, the comments in the newspapers about Reiya Chikako had been so scathing that even Kaname had felt a stab of pity for his competitor. It had prompted him to reach out to her, offering his help under the guise of a collaborative proposal.

But Chikako had firmly and crisply refused his help, stating that her grandfather would rather see the company run to the ground than have her accept a pureblood's support and assistance. Kaname had thoroughly admired her gutsy move. A more cruel pureblood would have instantly devastated her and her company for having had his offer flung rudely back into his face.

He had simply let it go, thinking that until the company's inevitable collapse, the only other relationship he would have with Reiya Pharmaceuticals would be purely that of a business rivalry.

But now...

A hiss in displeasure escaped his lips. Had Chikako, desperate to keep the floundering company afloat, decided to perform the Time Switcher Spell as revenge against him? Or as an underhanded means of distracting him from business so that Reiya could swoop in and snatch up all his contracts and deals? Using his protégé, his _lover_, as a stepping stone...

'How dare they!?'

Seiren, standing on the other side of the door, tensed as she felt the black, swirling aura tighten and whirl threateningly. The temperature plunged dangerously, the wooden door beneath her palm cool and frosty. Perhaps her insistence on informing him had not been the best of ideas while he was currently in such a dark mood.

Then, all of sudden, the aura faded away, temperature returning to normal. She inhaled shakily, her throat and lungs finally free from the constricting aura that had shrouded her entire body previously. However, her impenetrable, placid mask had never cracked in the slightest all throughout that whole episode.

'Seiren.'

'Yes, Kaname-sama?'

'Research all you can about Reiya Pharmaceutical Holdings. The CEO herself, every employee they've ever had, every contract they've ever made and every property they've ever owned. Bring me anything that seems amiss or suspicious.'

In other words, 'bring me anything that I can blackmail them with'.

Seiren nodded, receiving the underlying message loud and clear. 'Yes, Kaname-sama.'

Then she turned, vanishing out the nearest the window.

Once Kaname could no longer sense her presence, it was as if all the wind had escaped his sails. He sagged back onto his seat, laying the back of one hand against his shut eyelids.

How many hours had it been since Zero left? Four, five hours, maybe? What did it matter, when all Kaname had been left with was a terrible silence in the halls and a yawning chasm in his chest? Without Zero by his side, nothing seemed to matter anymore. Even his previous wrath at the culprits responsible for this whole mess had fizzled away to nothing, following his praetorian's departure.

After his... episode in the forest, which he was grateful past Zero had not been around to see, he had returned to the house, numbly walking through the familiar rooms, memories of him and lover flooding in from every piece of furniture he saw. Like the velvet carpet in the living room that they had bought together. Zero's eye had immediately been drawn to the light grey carpet in the furniture shop, even though it had been rolled up and shoved in a corner.

_'__It's not one of our top sellers, because it's quite plain. Most customers dislike the dull colour as well. Might I recommend you something better?' _

_'_I_like it. Will you take it out?'_

Kaname had watched in silent amusement as the shopkeeper had tried, in vain, to dissuade Zero from choosing that carpet, while Zero had stubbornly refused to change his mind. Both got increasingly frustrated with each other, almost to the point where they were outright shouting and glaring at each other.

In the end, a thoroughly pissed off Zero had turned to Kaname, asking him for his honest opinion. Kaname had only chuckled slightly, before telling the red-faced, flustered man to wrap it up, because they were taking it. The triumphant smirk Zero had shot the poor nonplussed shopkeeper almost had Kaname doubling over in laughter.

The pureblood had smiled at the memory, a nostalgic, tender one that had softened the expression in his eyes. But it had only lasted for a second before the agonising pain in his heart flared up again.

He had quickly marched to his study, locking himself inside, before flopping down. Unbridled, the memories had all surged up to overflow in his mind's eye, reminding him of every touch, every quirk of _his_ lip, every glint of _his_ eye, every twitch of _his_ fingers.

Kaname had not shed another tear though, not after leaving the forest.

Because during the hours he had had to himself in this dark, lonely room, he had made up his mind.

He wasn't going to let Zero leave him.

Even if his lover hated him for it.

Picking up the phone receiver on his desk, he swiftly punched in some numbers, leaning back as he waited impatiently for the vampire on the other end to pick up. His steely gaze flicked over to the window, where the sun was just beginning its descent, slowly shifting to fall behind the hills. The sky was painted a vivid orange-red, dyeing the nearby spatters of clouds a beautiful shade of vermilion.

Zero always did like admiring the sunrise and sunset. Kaname sometimes woke up alone in bed, and the absence of his lover's warm, lanky body made the bed much too cold and big for his liking. That always prompted him to get out of bed to chase down his elusive hunter, in an attempt to pull him back under the sheets.

More often than not, Kaname would find him standing by the huge window in the second-floor corridor, with only a sheet messily tied around his waist as he peeked out at the view hidden behind the blinds. Just like a little kid sneaking downstairs to the Christmas tree, surreptitiously peeling back the wrapping paper on his present in an attempt to discern the treasure concealed within.

And despite the strong glare that hurt his eyes, the pureblood would always make his way over to him, shaking his head slightly in mock admonishment when Zero sensed his presence and shot him a small, apologetic smile.

Kaname would hold him tenderly in his arms from behind, resting his head gently against Zero's with his eyes closed against the sunrays. Zero's arms would fold over his as he relaxed back against the pureblood's embrace, sighing softly in contentment. Only when it was all over would the hunter allow himself to be led back to bed.

'Kaname-sama?'

Kaname blinked, crashing back down to reality when the familiar voice sounded in his ear.

'Aidou.'

* * *

_Bang! _

A flurry of birds fluttered off from the treetops as a single shot rang out in the still silence of night.

Swifter than the eye could see, a small, precise hole pierced through the target's body, warm liquid spurting out from the fatal wound. With a small shudder, it tottered dangerously around the branch that it was perched on, before finally surrendering and falling to the ground with a thud.

Zero dragged the back of his hand across his upper lip, wiping off the beads of sweat that had gathered there. Eyeing the fallen aluminium can which was currently squirting and spraying soda all over the forest floor, he lowered Bloody Rose, ignoring the slight tremor in his hand.

It had been some hours since his future self had come to 'visit'. Although Zero had not given any outward indication of it, the wind had carried the distinct smell of salt over to him as he had been leaving Kuran somewhere around where he was now currently plinking. The implication of that scent had _almost_ turned him around, but thankfully, he managed to hold himself back in time.

And the fact that he had been thus tempted to comfort the pureblood severely pissed him off. Why should he have cared whether or not the pureblood was upset that he had lost his promising protégé? Sure, this wasn't the Kuran Kaname that he knew and hated with every fibre of his body, but heck, he was still a pureblood vampire! One who had managed to get future Zero under his thumb, regardless of how it had happened.

He had been thoroughly appalled at the way future Zero regarded vampires. Where was all that fire and anger? The hurling of curses and insults at them? The Zero in his mind had been beyond calm and understanding, seeming to cast a positive light over everything, even being cruelly attacked by his own brother. What was it he'd said, '_even if it hadn't been him, someone else would have been sent to do it'_? How laughable. That didn't merit such indulgent forgiveness.

It had _definitely _been disgust that had welled up in him then. At how his future self had become so soft, so utterly and completely different from the Zero he was now.

And yet, why had _he_ cared so much that Kuran had been tearing up? Because he honestly _didn't. _Honestly _shouldn't._

Zero had returned to his room in the foulest of moods as he had contemplated that question all through the walk back. The door had been slammed shut behind him, shoes violently kicked off. And he had been all for taking out his frustration on the furniture and clothes in future Zero's room. In fact, he had thrown the wardrobe doors wide open, wrenching out the closest article of clothing his searching hands had managed to find. He had had Rose in hand, only a second away from firing at the black slacks in his hand.

But then, a photograph had fluttered out from one of the pockets, landing softly on the carpeted floor. If Yuuki's face had not been beaming up at him, he would have just continued anyway.

However, having been distracted by that familiar face, he had let the pants crumble to the floor, hanger and all, before bending down swiftly to scoop up the picture. He had then made his way over to sit on that huge heavenly bed, examining the photo under the non-glaring sunlight lighting up the room.

Yuuki was older in the picture, about twenty or so. It had obviously been her graduation, because an oversized blue cape was draped around her slim shoulders, a graduation cap of the same colour sitting crookedly on her head. But she wasn't alone. An older version of Zero and Kuran were in the picture with her, each on either side of Yuuki. Kuran looked much like the pureblood he had just left in the forest, except that his eyes here seemed less weary and guarded. A small smile played on his lips as amused wine orbs gazed right into the camera lens.

Then Zero's probing gaze had fallen over the other male in the picture. His first ever glance of how future Zero looked like; the face to match the voice he had been speaking to in his head mere moments ago.

God, he looked so _happy_.

Perhaps no one else would have been able to tell, but this was _Zero_. He knew what _his_ version of happy was, even if it was indiscernible to the rest of the world. The amethyst eyes that had stared unflinchingly back into his own were completely unrecognisable. Softened and affectionate, they clearly reflected the calm, peaceful emotional state of their owner. Zero just had not been able to imagine his own eyes ever looking like those. The smile on future Zero's face, too, was nothing he had never seen before. The corners of his lips were twisted upwards in a sincere smile, one that lit up his face and brightened his already-twinkling eyes.

Zero had spent several speechless minutes to stare down at the picture, tracing every outline of his own face, wondering at the foreign expression on that familiar face.

And in the midst of all that, he had somehow fallen asleep. He had only been awoken by the pureblood's bodyguard – Seiren, was it? – bringing a tray of food up for him. Despite his initial vehement refusal to touch anything that was Kuran's, his traitorous stomach had eventually forced him to finish every crumb on the tray.

Then he had grabbed the soda can on the tray and used it for target practice.

On his way down, a momentary surge of a dark, oppressive aura had enveloped his body, completely immobilising it. He had inhaled sharply, panic starting to rise up at being so helpless and defenceless. But it had only lasted for a second, before his body was his to control again. Glancing around warily but spying nothing amiss, he had continued on his way. Only when he had seen Seiren turning away from a closed door and shooting out the window did he understand the cause of that strange episode.

Apparently, Kuran was still in quite a mood.

Thankfully, Zero had required no additional effort to continue putting one foot in front of the other. His hesitation earlier had probably only been a momentary lapse in judgment, he reassured himself.

_Bang!_

Zero jumped, instantly breaking out of his reminiscing at the sudden gunshot. In shock, he realised that his grip on Rose had somehow loosened, forcing her to drop to the ground. Since the safety had still been off, a single bullet had been fired. Zero's panicked eyes swept the area. Had the accidental discharge hurt anything?

It was his nose that gave him the information he needed.

The scent of blood spilled out over the clearing, instantly dyeing his lilac eyes a tinge of red. A familiar clenching gripped at his chest, his heart rate abruptly speeding up as a pool of fire that began in his stomach quickly scorched through his entire body.

_Shit._

With all that had been happening, Zero had almost forgotten that he was about due for another attack.

'Damn it,' growled the hunter, sinking to his knees in the grass, one hand clutching tightly at his burning throat. He could feel his fangs poking into his lower lip, aching painfully as they begged to be sunk into pliant flesh, to feel warm, delicious blood pouring into his mouth and relieving his unbearable thirst. The fallen rabbit was _so _close. He could be there in less than a heartbeat, holding the warm, furry body up to his lips, tongue swiping out to taste the blood that was flowing out of the wound...

_No! Fight it, Zero!_

His free hand fisted in the grass, desperately holding onto the tiny blades as if that grip was the only thing stopping him from flying over to ravage the poor animal.

It probably was.

The hand around his throat tightened as the fire spreading through his body grew in intensity, wreaking havoc on his system. It was pure agony, as if industrial-grade sulphuric acid was burning up his insides, melting them down to a gooey, smouldering mess. There was only one thing that could alleviate the excruciating pain, and it was _rightthere_, if only he would just mo-

_No, hang in there! It'll pass!_

Zero doubled over, folding his body until he was collapsed face down in the grass. His grips on both the grass and his throat never relaxed. Harsh pants spilled out from his lips as he gasped for breath, struggling to rein in the abominable hunger. Sweat poured out from his body, matting his hair and soaking his clothing.

For ten agonising minutes he remained in that position, body tensed and trembling, waiting for the worst of the bloodlust to pass.

And _finally_, _mercifully,_ it eventually did.

Once the fire blazing through his insides had been sufficiently dowsed, and his fangs were no longer extended, Zero took a deep shuddering breath, before grabbing Rose and getting gingerly to his feet. Pointedly ignoring the spot in which the dead rabbit lay, he hobbled sluggishly back towards the house, hoping he would not run into anyone.

Once he was finally back in the room, he peeled off all his clothing, before throwing on the slacks he had been ready to obliterate earlier. Without a moment's hesitation, he dumped his half-naked self onto the bed, hand deftly sliding underneath the pillows to retrieve the photograph he had found earlier.

He was only able to stare at it for a minute before his vision started wavering, edges turning fuzzy. As the tendrils of sleep gradually reached out to ensnare him in their grip, he frowned briefly, wondering why he was constantly lethargic, despite having slept so much.

But then, sleep overtook him and those thoughts were no more.

* * *

**That's it, then! Hmm, wonder what plans Kaname has in store ;) And I can't even recall how many times Zero has gone to bed in this fic XD It means something, though :) I swear I'm not just writing it like this to make Zero seem like a slob HAHA.**

Replies to my dear reviewer:

**BlackAbyss: **Thank you for the warm welcome back to ff :):) Oh, man, I'm so sorry that confused you. There wasn't anyone else there. You know how in movies, when stuff is ending, the camera slowly zooms out from a person? I think I was trying to get that kind of feel. Like shifting from Zero's perspective to a third-person view, that kinda thing, while the word 'yes...' echoes out. I THINK I FAILED AT IT THOUGH, I'M SO SORRY IT CONFUSED YOU T.T Oh no, please don't apologise for that! Hearing that my story can bring out such intense emotions really makes me feel extremely happy (even though I'm sorry to have cause you any sadness! T.T) Oh, wow, you're following a great praise up with another, even more awesome compliment. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! :):) That really makes me super happy :) Hahaha I googled that phrase and ended up watching the Mean Girls' clip of that scene LOL. Thank you so much for the review and your support! Love ya too :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I wanted to include more things in this chapter, but it was getting pretty long... so I decided to break it up :) I was rushing this a little, so forgive me for any mistakes you find :) Lastly, I hope you enjoy Chapter 12! And please review :) Oh and please note that I've made a little adjustment to Chap 8, regarding the spell reversal for the TSS. Do check it out :)

**Disclaimer**: Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB**!

* * *

_PAST_

_Will it be today?_

Zero had been awoken by the sun shining in through the window, its rays uncomfortably hot and bright. Lilac eyes had snapped open, before narrowing in confusion as he processed his unexpected, yet strangely familiar, surroundings. It had taken a few seconds for his sleep-hazed brain to register that this was his dorm room at the Academy. As if floodgates had been thrown open, the memories of his decision had flooded in, pain once again stabbing at his heart at what he had left behind.

Once he was able to get his roiling emotions under control, that question had popped up in his mind. Was today the day when Ichiru would attempt to kill him? When the ball would start rolling, kicking into motion the series of events that would follow successively?

He could only hope. Because the longer he dwelled here, not doing anything that would alter the future, the more his resolve to stick to his decision was wavering. It was getting increasingly difficult for him to accept not ever being able to stay by Kaname's side as his lover.

If his memory served him well, the night before it had all begun, Yuuki had shared with him her fears about her past on the rooftop, before she had left to meet with Kaname. His attempt to hold her back, and then his cowardly words after that, even now, they still made Zero cringe. He had been so afraid to lose her then, yet he had not had the courage to ask her not to go.

That had also been the day he had first spoken to his brother after his admittance into the Academy. If that was so, was Zero supposed to call him out? To trigger Yuuki's sad, reflective speech to him later in the night, the one that gave her courage to learn about her past?

Or was it not yet time for that? In this timeline, had Yuuki begun acting weirdly regarding her past? From the carefree way she had been behaving around Zero, it would seem like nothing was wrong. But it was hard to tell, what with Yuuki always fighting to maintain a cheerful front.

What was he supposed to do? Should he even do _anything?_ Since his mission here was to alter the future, maybe by not following in the footsteps of what he had done before, it would be more effective? Maybe just having changed the course of the previous two nights was enough to alter the future.

Was it? Or was it not?

Zero groaned, hanging his hand in his hands. He had no idea what to do.

Well for starters, he guessed he should probably get dressed. It was almost time for classes to begin. If he didn't show up, Yuuki would probably nag endlessly at him again. He smiled fondly at the thought as he groggily got out of bed and squeezed himself back into his uniform. Just when he was contemplating jumping out through the window (it was so much more convenient, though anyone who saw him fall two stories unscathed would most definitely freak out) instead of leaving through the door (like a _normal _person), a knock sounded on his door.

'Kiryuu?'

He had already sensed the vampire presence approaching , so he could not say he was surprised to hear the deep, familiar voice outside his door. He did wonder what was so important that he would sacrifice precious sleep just to pay him a visit, though. Snatches of his earlier nightmare came rushing back to him, and he had to struggle to chase them away.

'Come in, Kuran,' he called, settling himself with his hip against his desk, arms folded loosely.

A crease appeared between Kaname's brows as he entered the room only to be met with the sight of Kiryuu leaning against his desk, in a position he was all too aware he often held in his own room. Was it just a coincidence? Had to be, righ-

A corner of the hunter's lips quirked upwards as Kiryuu regarded him silently, thinly-veiled amusement glinting in his amethyst eyes.

Kaname's eyebrow twitched in irritation. Coincidence, indeed!

Swallowing down a dry remark, Kaname folded his arms – deliberately ignoring the rising corners of the ex-human's lips at that instinctive action – and got right down to business. He didn't want to be here any longer than necessary, after all.

'Kiryuu, I came here to find out more about what will soon happen. You said that Ichiru would attack you, at the behest of my uncle and Ichijo Asato.'

When Zero nodded mutely, the pureblood pressed on, enquiring about when and how that would happen.

The hunter briefly considered refusing to answer, but figured it wasn't worth the trouble. 'He sent me a note before my classes ended, urgently asking me to meet him behind the dorm because he needs help. Then two unknown vampires appeared and held me down while he-'

Here Zero paused abruptly, swallowing thickly as the unwanted memories flitted across his mind. Three agonising stabs in the chest, throat and wrists sliced mercilessly. Even now, he could still clearly remember every plunge and wave of the blade in Ichiru's hand, the cruel smile that had twisted across his twin's face as he stabbed him repeatedly, relishing at the sight of him in agony.

Kaname watched as a shadow fell upon the hunter's eyes, his jaw muscles tightening and hands clenching unconsciously. He didn't know what Kiryuu Ichiru had done to him, but Kiryuu's earlier words rang out clearly through his head.

_'__..by leaving me close to death..'_

It must have been brutal and vicious, as was to be expected from a man who thought his most beloved person murdered by him. A faint pang of guilt flashed through him, but he quickly brushed it away. Why should he feel guilty? Kiryuu had always only ever been a pawn in his chess game, just a knight to protect his queen. He was _meant_ to be used; that was the only reason Kaname had allowed him to live as long as he had, despite his continued impudence and disrespect.

'Kiryuu?'

The stark anguish and torment in those lilac eyes when the hunter gazed dazedly up at him had him freezing in shock, wine orbs widening slightly. Kaname faltered, lips parting slightly as if to offer some comfort...

But then the silver-haired male blinked, and the intense emotions that had been lurking within those eyes disappeared without a trace, leaving only a cool mask on his face. Kaname pressed his lips together in a tight, thin line, chastising himself for _once again_ feeling sympathy for the hunter. He needed to stop this madness.

Oblivious to the pureblood's inner conflict, Zero ran a tongue swiftly across his dry lips, taking a deep breath as he continued his recount. 'After that, Yuuki found me... like _that. _Lying on the grass, bleeding out, on the brink of death. And then she begged you to save me. And... you did.'

Two simple words. He had only needed _two _words to sum up what Kaname had done for him then. But it had been _so_ much more than that. He could still recall every minute of that harrowing experience. How he had been in such terrible pain, unable to even speak or flinch away. How the pureblood had carefully tended to his wounds with his mouth, before proffering his almost-virgin neck, basically entrusting his life into Zero's hands, despite the very real possibility of the starving, dying ex-human completely draining him. How Zero very nearly _had_, only managing to stop himself in time. How he had returned to his senses only to see how cruelly he had mauled the other's neck, and how weak and close to death he had been.

Even now, Zero's heart swelled up in love and adoration at how far Kaname had been willing to go. Of course, at that time, he had done it simply for Yuuki's sake, but still... Kaname had risked his precious, pureblood life for his, a mere ex-human that he hadn't even _liked._

Choosing to disregard the slight tenderness that had crept into the hunter's tone at those last words, Kaname clarified, 'and that's when my uncle and Ichijo struck?

Zero nodded grimly as he replied, 'yes. They sent six vampire assassins.' Seeing Kaname's incredulous glance, he continued softly, 'both of us were far too weak to do much, though we did manage to get one. But he killed himself.'

The pureblood nodded faintly. He had not imagined he would ever be so careless as to _allow_ himself be drained so thoroughly by a dying D', but apparently, that was what had happened. Yet another foolish mistake he planned to rectify.

'When will it happen?'

Now _that_ stumped Zero. He had no idea. Not unless he managed to get some information first... Once against moistening his dry lips, he glanced up at the pureblood.

'Has Yuuki asked... to know about her past?'

Kaname blinked in surprise. He had not expected that question. However, sensing the hunter's discomfort, he guessed there was probably a legit reason for it. So he chose to answer truthfully.

'Yes... but I didn't tell her anything.'

Zero's head shot up at his answer.

'Shouldn't be long then,' he muttered, more to himself than to the pureblood.

'Come again?'

Wary, hesitant lilac eyes gazed at him.

'In the early hours of the day that Ichiru attacked, Yuuki went to you, asking to know her past. You promised you would... as long as she agreed to become your lover.'

Kaname's eyes widened imperceptibly. All these years, he had been trying to conceal her past for as long as possible, terrified that she would detest him for having been the cause of her parents' death. It was stupid, of course, he knew Yuuki's feelings for him were not that shallow, but... he couldn't imagine how such a sweet, innocent girl like her would ever be able to accept that the boy she had always thought of as her protector and guardian, was pretty much a murderer.

That first time Yuuki had asked, he had frozen in shock, irrational fear gripping him as those sincere eyes bore into his, imploring and beseeching. He had managed to brush her off, but it would appear it hadn't worked.

As for asking her to be his lover in return... The thought _had _crossed his mind, he could not deny that. To have some sort of guarantee that she would not leave or despise him, even after learning the full, horrible truth behind her parents' deaths. It had been a pathetic thought, one that he had rejected almost instantly. How could he be so selfish? If he really loved and cherished her, he should let her decide for herself what she wanted to do after she found out the truth. That's what he had told himself, anyway.

And yet... It seemed like he had stuck to that idea after all. And... she had agreed?

The relief that surged up within him was almost palpable, twisting his lips up into a faint smile of wonderment. Yuuki had _wanted _to be his lover. She had agreed!

However, despite the overwhelming joy that rushed over him, there was something inside him, a small little thought buried right at the back of his mind, that was insisting on dampening his elation. He glanced up briefly, trying to shake that thought away.

That was a mistake.

The expression on Kiryuu's face was sombre and contemplative, as if he were reliving the memories of that time. A sudden question bubbled up within Kaname. Had _he_ been present to witness that exchange?

How must it have felt to see the woman you loved agreeing to become someone else's lover? And how must it have felt to later end up in a relationship with that 'someone else', knowing you were snatching away her chance at true happiness?

The pureblood regarded the brooding hunter silently for a few more seconds, before the realisation of what he was doing suddenly dawned on him.

_Damn it, not again!_ baulked Kaname inwardly as he firmly averted his gaze.

Still, those questions about Kiryuu's feelings – god, why in the world was he even thinking about_his_ emotions? – were not the cause of the faint niggling at the back of his mind. It was the annoying question echoing over and over again in his head that was.

_Had he given her no choice but to agree?_

Kaname loved her, he loved her _so _much, but maybe that love had made him desperate. Desperate for her reciprocation, for her to say those words that he yearned so much to spill forth from those soft, perfect lips.

Had his words been akin to an ultimatum for her?

A sudden spike of horror gripped him at the thought. He would never do that, would he? And Yuuki, she was no longer just an innocent little girl. She could make her own decisions. And she _had. _She had chosen _him._

Yet... he could not resist glancing at the silent ex-human again. Would Kiryuu be wearing such an intense expression if he didn't think that? Misgivings welled up within him, dominating the jubilation that had previously been residing there.

Had _he made her accept?_

Zero glanced up for a half-second, still immersed in his memories, only to pause at the sight of Kaname's face tensed in apprehension. Self-doubt and misery was etched into the lines of his face, making him appear decadesolder than he really was. The hunter frowned in confusion. What had caused that hundred-and-eighty degrees change in the pureblood's mood? Just seconds ago, he had been practically beaming at the news of Yuuki's acceptance.

'Kuran, what is it?'

His sudden question caused the pureblood to jump. Still keeping his eyes firmly downcast, Kaname, in a small, quiet voice, asked, 'did I... did I force her to accept?'

Zero inhaled sharply. _That _was what he had been worrying about? That he had not given Yuuki a choice? Well... Zero could still remember accusing the pureblood of the very same thing years ago when it had happened for real. Thinking that Yuuki had been blind to Kaname's scheming ways, willing to follow along with whatever he said...

But he knew now, that the pureblood had truly not wished to threaten her. He had just been so afraid... Maybe it had come out that way, as if he were trying to manipulate her into a relationship with him, but Kaname had _never_ wanted that. There was no doubt about it in Zero's mind.

The hunter fixed the pureblood with a level gaze, firmly replying with a, 'no, you did not.'

Kaname would never in a million years admit it, but the resolute refutal in both the hunter's tone and eyes did wonders to assuage his fears. _Yuuki...Thank god._

Giving a terse nod of thanks, the pureblood paused for a second, before looking up again, a steely look in his eyes, as if he had come to some sort of a decision.

'When you do receive your brother's note, find a way to leave the building without being seen. Then immediately head to the Moon Dorm.'

Zero blinked at him in incomprehension. Why...?

'I'll accompany you to the meeting, but hide until the two vampires appear. Then I'll subdue all three of them and gather information about Rido and Ichijo.'

Ah, right. Of course. Of course that was what the pureblood had meant.

Zero shook his head imperceptibly. For a second he had almost thought that Kaname wanted to offer his protection, ridiculous as that sounded.

'Yeah, sure,' he agreed easily, turning away to occupy himself with arranging the stationery on his desk. Everything was already impeccably neat, of course. He was just trying to hide his discomfort.

But because he was so caught up in pretending to be busy, he missed the strange look that passed across the pureblood's features. One that was filled with just a little less distaste...

...and just a little more amiability.

* * *

_PRESENT_

It was pure agony.

Cold sweat prickled on his skin, a total contrast to the scorching flames raging within his body, hungrily licking and devouring his insides. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he couldn't breathe – it was like being trapped underwater, murky water viciously leaving a trail of its burning touch as it gushed past his throat into his constricting lungs. There was no escape, no respite from the torment. It was all around him, surrounding him... it _became _him. No longer a vampire. Just pain and suffering incarnate.

His body jerked violently as an uncontrollable shudder racked through his limp, sweaty body.

_Just let me die already...!_

His desperate plead echoed round and round his head as he remained on his back, muscles seizing up painfully, extended claws unwittingly carving long, deep gashes into the soft material beneath him.

_No more... no more... Let it all stop...!_

And then something warm pressed against his clammy cheek, the sudden sensation causing his body to jerk again. But this time, his flailing limbs were restrained, held back by more warm touches.

Then he smelled it.

Deliciously, mouth-watering goodness, the only thing that could quench the fire within him; sate the rampant beast within. And suddenly he was no longer lost in that pool of water. His senses, now refocused onto the divine smell, reawakened his body, freeing his lungs and clearing his head.

He sniffed the air deeply, angling his head to get closer.

But he needn't have bothered. For the delightful treat came to _him,_ pressing against his dry lips. A tongue swiped out from between his lips to lick up the liquid coating them. A moan of pleasure escaped him as his taste buds sung in delight at the rich flavour, parched throat tingling and constricting.

_More... need more..._

The soft warmth at his mouth was still leaking the delectable liquid. His tongue raked across it, lapping up all he could get. But all too soon, the flow stopped, the surface clean and free. He growled in frustration, tongue still running across the silky-smooth flesh.

But then he felt it. A tiny pulsing below the skin, clamouring for his attention. What flowed inside those tiny vessels was the sweet nectar he so desired.

And it was his for the taking.

His hands twisted in the iron grip that encased them, trying to free themselves to grab onto his prey, as if to prevent it from escaping. But it was an effort in vain, despite his valiant efforts. Too impatient to wait any longer, he leaned forward, sinking his throbbing fangs into the flesh.

_Oh, god...!_

XXX

Kaname stared mutely down at the boy latched desperately onto his wrist, greedily gulping down his blood as if he were starving.

Though he supposed this Zero _had_ indeed been starving for years, managing his bloodlust only with his admirable control and high pain threshold. This would be his first time consuming pureblood blood. He could only imagine how exotic and delectable it must taste to the ex-human, who had only ever had Yuuki's human blood.

After his call to Aidou the previous night, Kaname had spent the rest of the night glued to his computer, looking through the files he had been forwarded. It had been both physically and emotionally draining, having to view report after report of fatally-ill humans. Countless wan, sickly faces had stared back at him, their eyes disillusioned and filled with tired resignation.

It had reminded him so strongly of how pale and weak Yuuki had been in those last few weeks of her illness, dragging up the familiar anguish and remorse from his memories. With his heart further bruised and aching from Zero's cold, abrupt departure, Kaname had had to stop and compose himself a few times throughout the night, taking deep breaths and swallowing down the lump forming stubbornly in his throat.

Despite that, he had gone through every single one of the medical reports, a notable effort that, had he been around to see it, his Zero would have commended him for. Well, actually, considering what this was for...maybe not_._

After placing a second call to Aidou, he had finally returned to his room quietly, sensing the younger Zero slumbering in his lover's room. He had had to _force _himself not to enter that room. Not because he was afraid of getting shot, of course, but because seeing his lover's doppelganger where his Zero should be would only torment him more. Such similar features they had, that Kaname could _almost_ mistake him for his lover, but ultimately, he was just not _Zero_.

It was his own lover that the pureblood craved, not just a lookalike, or a different version. It was the one he woke up next to everyday; the one who preferred to personally make him breakfast instead of sending for food from the kitchen; the one who lovingly embraced and welcomed him home from work; the one who berated him for _everything_, from not picking up after himself, to neglecting his health because of work, to being an 'insatiable twit – his favourite phrase –; the one who flushed and squirmed delightfully under him when they made love; the one who made _him_ do the same when the roles were reversed.

Just as the sun had been beginning to rise above the horizon, Kaname had slid into bed, trying to get some much needed rest. The last time he'd had slept well... was the three hours he had gotten before waking up to find past Zero keeled over on his kitchen floor. He was _exhausted._

And he missed Zero terribly.

Despite his fatigue, Kaname had lain awake for about an hour, tossing and turning underneath the sheets. Had the bed always been that big? Or was it just because there was only one occupant in it now? Had the room always been that cold? Or was it just because there was no warm body curled up next to his?

With those depressing, contemplative thoughts swirling around his mind, he had finally drifted into a restless sleep...

...only to be awoken two hours later by past Zero's distressed whimpers and moans. Disregarding his lethargy, he had leapt out of bed, rushing to the opposite room with vampire speed.

Zero had been lying on the bed, body battered by wave after wave of tremors. His skin had been deadly pale, and with horror, Kaname had realised that he was not breathing. He had practically flown over to the side of the bed, eyes wide in panic. Was the hunter having some sort of attack? He had been about to attempt CPR, when suddenly Zero jerked wildly, claws abruptly extending to inflict irrevocable damage to the sheets and mattress.

The fact that his claws had been extended...

Kaname had made a wild guess then. To prevent the ex-human from hurting himself with his lethal claws, he had straddled the spasming boy, catching both his wrists in one hand and pinning them to the bed above Zero's head. Following that, he had used a fang to slit a long gash down his forearm, hoping that his gamble would pay off.

Thankfully, it did. The moment the scent of his blood was in the air, Zero had taken a deep, shuddering breath, body finally settling down peacefully beneath him. The feel of the hunter's tongue against his bare skin had elicited a range of emotions in him, from pleasure to anguish, from desire to aversion. He had had to remind himself that this _wasn't _Zero, this _wasn't _Zero, this _wasn_-

And then those fangs had pierced his skin, and he had almost moaned.

Mortification flooded him, heat rising in his cheeks as he realised how _close _he had been. If he had really let his voice out, he could _never_ have forgiven himself. This _wasn't _Zero, no matter how his stupid, lewd body was thinking and responding. Deriving any form of pleasure from this was akin to _cheating _on Zero.

And that was _completely_ unacceptable.

Kaname clenched his jaw tightly, resolutely ignoring the tingling of the sensitive skin that was being lathed with past Zero's kisses and licks as the ex-human slurped noisily from his wrist. He would _not_ feel anything, he swore, closing his eyes and deliberately calling up memories of Zero. His eyes, his smiles, his warmth, his laughs – they all flooded through his mind, glad to finally be free of self-imposed mental gates.

But recalling his lover wasn't really the best idea, not when he was trying to suppress his body's desires.

The pureblood cursed under his breath. The tendrils of heat now spreading languidly within him had nothing to do with embarrassment. This needed to end, _now. _Besides, judging from his slight light-headedness, Zero had had more than enough of his blood.

In one swift motion, Kaname twisted his arm away from the ex-human's guzzling mouth, wincing slightly as the fangs buried within his flesh tore deep gashes through it. If Zero were here, he would rebuke the pureblood for not being more careful. But it didn't matter anyway, because almost immediately, the torn and bloody flesh began healing itself, skin returning to its normal smooth state in mere seconds.

As the hunter blinked rapidly, the red in his eyes slowly fading away to reveal confused amethyst orbs, Kaname released his wrists, climbing off of him and standing by the foot of the bed. Just in case the other vampire tried to attack him in his crazed state.

It soon became evident that Zero was back to his normal self, as he gingerly sat up, before eyeing the pureblood warily.

XXX

That had to have been a dream, right? No way Kuran Kaname, regal vampire pureblood, had allowed an _ex-human _to devour his blood so carelessly.

But there were tiny red spots on the pureblood's creased shirt, clearly from his desperate messy drinking.

Disgust welled up in him, thick and suffocating, as the implications of what he had just done hit him. He had _bitten _someone – though admittedly not a defenceless human – while in the midst of blood lust. As if biting Yuuki hadn't been bad enough, this time, he had bitten the man that she loved. What the hell was wrong with him!? How long was he going to continue this way, biting anything and everything that had the misfortune to cross his path while he lost himself? The next time he woke up from another attack, what would he find? Another vulnerable human lying limply at his feet, blood pooling out of his/her body? Or worse, would he have drained them so thoroughly that there was simply nothing left to flow?

'It's not your fault, you know. It's a natural vampire instinct. You can't fight it forever.'

Zero bristled at the concern accompanying those quiet words. He didn't need the bastard's pity, damn it!

'Shut up,' he snarled, slamming his fist down onto the bed to prove his point.

What he didn't expect was for his fist to penetrate right through the mattress, sinking all the way through till he felt the cool metal of the bed springs pressing against his forearm.

'What the hell!?'

He wrenched his arm out of the hole he had created, glaring accusingly at the mattress as if it had been its fault for being so weak.

A chuckle from the pureblood drew his attention immediately.

Kaname smiled softly as he regarded the hunter. 'Zero did the same thing after the first time he drank my blood. But it was through a wall, not a mattress. I must say, both of you _do _like to flaunt your increased strengths, don't you?'

Zero gritted his teeth. Not only was the pureblood _smiling_ and _laughing_ again, he had just made a _joke. _An honest-to-goodness _joke. _At his expense, no less! Annoyance built up within him, like a tsunami growing bigger and bigger as it advanced along toward its target. He opened his mouth, ready to let it all come crashing down...

...and then abrupt closed it again. No, he was sick of letting Kuran's words get to him. He wasn't going to allow himself to get carried along with the pureblood any longer.

Settling for hurling profanities at him in his head instead, Zero silently swung his legs off the bed, before getting swiftly to his feet.

Bad move. The second his weight was transferred off the bed to his own two feet, his head swum, vision wavering dangerously. The room appeared as if it were spinning endlessly around him, a bright carousel twirling around and around. Or was he the one spinning? He couldn't tell.

Zero took a few wobbly steps forward, tottering unsteadily on his feet. Only his pride and stubbornness kept him upright and not collapsing to the floor immediately. He would _not_ allow the pureblood that satisfaction.

But then his feet scuffed against the carpet and he lost his precarious balance. Cursing inwardly, he immediately made to fling himself forward, so that he would end up safely on his hands and knees.

An arm suddenly snaked around his torso, pulling him backwards and throwing him even more off-kilter. His full weight ended up resting against the warm body that held firmly onto him, despite his frantic attempts to free himself.

'Damn it, Kuran, get off me!' spat the hunter, mind whirling in panic. He was so close to the pureblood; could feel his steady heartbeat against his back. The pureblood's scent, one he had been introduced to when he had sneaked into his room, wafted around him, overpowering his nostrils and forcing him to remember the taste of his delicious, immensely satisfying blood as it had flowed down his parched throat.

Kaname paid no heed to the boy's protests, or even the vicious clawing of his arm. Dragging the trembling hunter back to the bed, he threw him down onto it, using a little more force than was necessary.

'You're clearly in no state to be moving around. Just lie here quietly until you recover.'

What the hell!? He was _not _some little kid to be bossed around by him!

'You bastard, do you think I'll jus-oomph!'

Without batting an eyelid, Kaname placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing back him down onto the bed and keeping him there. Then he frowned. It wasn't taking him very much strength to pin the hunter down this way, though it was clear he was struggling with all his might. Even though this Zero's power was a far cry from his lover's, surely he had never been _this _weak?

'Kiryuu, do all your bloodlust attacks usually leave you this drained?'

Surprise bled into Zero's eyes, ceasing his feeble attempts at freedom for the moment. Now that he thought about it... his attacks had _never_ been as intense as the one he had just experienced. Though they were all equally agonising, he never once felt like he had no control over his body, like he was frozen to the spot. And despite having had so much pureblood blood, he was obviously still shaking and trembling. How could it be...?

Kaname didn't need a reply. The confusion written all over the hunter's face was all the answer he needed. Was something else going on? Perhaps he was still suffering from the aftereffects of the Time Switcher Spell, he surmised.

'Get some rest, alright? I'll have some food brought up for you later.'

Though the hunter glared daggers at him, he didn't try to get up again when Kaname released his shoulder and left the room.

* * *

_PRESENT_

Despite his best efforts, Zero had not had any opportunity to speak to Ichiru. Though they shared the same classes, his brother seemed to vanish the second the bell rang. And with Yuuki constantly hovering around him, chattering cheerfully about mundane topics, he couldn't very well ignore her and chase after him, with no reason other than 'I _think_ I need you to spy on me talking to him so that you can have an epiphany that you want to confront Kaname about your past'.

_Maybe it just wasn't today_, he thought dejectedly, hands combing lightly through soft, white strands.

White Lily snorted softly, nuzzling against his neck reassuringly, as if sensing his troubled state. Zero smiled gratefully at her, patting her muzzle with one hand, the other digging into his pocket for the apple he had snuck out from the cafeteria.

A sharp glint in the mare's eyes was the only warning, before she lunged for the apple, almost chomping off Zero's hand in the process.

'Tch, Lily, don't eat me too,' chided the hunter, the tenderness in his tone belying his reproaching words.

White Lily paused briefly in the midst of her excited munching to stare remorsefully into his eyes. When Zero shook his head in exasperation, scratching behind her ears fondly, she snorted happily as she leaned into his gentle touch, continuing to wolf down her treat.

Was it possible that Yuuki would still ask Kaname about her past tonight? Even if things were slightly different now? After all, his very appearance here had already altered the past, putting into sequence a whole new chain of events, such as Kaname visiting him in his room this morning. So then, would Yuuki finding out about her past change as well?

He sighed heavily before he burrowed his face in Lily's silky coat, inhaling the strong, familiar scent of his mare. He remembered how he had used to skip classes to hide out here, catching up on his sleep, or fighting to control his bloodlust. White Lily would always curl up protectively against him, silently proving him strength and comfort. When was the last time that had happened? When he and Kaname had decided to leave the Academy, he had considered bringing Lily along as well. But then, he had realised how she would react to constantly being around vampires, as well as being totally alone – not that any other horses dared to approach her, with that fiery temper – especially since he would constantly be off on missions. It had been incredibly difficult saying goodbye to his one constant source of comfort, but, after leaving behind a _huge_ bag of carrots and giving the stable master firm instructions to 'keep both eyes on her', he had made himself walk away, forcing himself not to hear the indignant snorts and agitated stomping of her hooves as she watched him go.

Just being here again in her familiar comforting presence calmed him down immensely, the tension slowly rolling off his shoulders and escaping into the wind.

Zero slowly lowered himself until he was sitting on the hay, fingers still stroking her body. In a huff, as if berating him for leaving her standing all on her own, she settled down next to him, apple long gone. Zero relaxed against her body, curling up over her back and resting his head upon folded arms. As his upper body bobbed up and down with her steady breathing, he felt a pleasant wave of lethargy spread over him, eyelids slowly drooping over bleary amethyst eyes. As if sensing his imminent descent into sleep, White Lily kept as still as she could, quietly watching the boy she loved slowly drift off into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

_PRESENT_

'Reiya Chikako has been overseas for the past month, liaising and meeting up with various pharmaceutical companies.'

Kaname nodded at the information. He had figured as much, considering how badly the company was doing. She was trying to get as much support from other businesses in the industry as possible, forming contract deals and alliances.

Of course, she was resolutely staying away from all pureblood-owned businesses, which meant that her options were severely limited.

Kaname sighed. He really did not want to have to deal with this right now, not with the gaping hole still in his chest, and the utter silence at the other end of the bond, but he had no choice. He needed to handle this now, before... he may never be able to.

Seiren continued. 'I have dug through everything I can about the company and Chikako herself, but it all seems perfectly clean. Everything was done above the table and according to all laws and regulations.'

Kaname had feared that as well. He had always been well aware of the Reiyas' reputations, that they never resorted to any dirty tricks or underhanded means in their business. Ibuki had been a hard man, but he was a just and upright one. He would roll over and sit up in his grave if any of his descendants did anything that went against his moral principles.

But if Chikako had done the spell, it obviously meant that scheming plans _had_ been crafted. Bitter anger swirled up within him. He had experienced first-hand the noble's spunk, but for her to have been so blood-thirsty as to formulate such a strategy... he had foolishly thought she had too much honour and dignity for that. If only he had not been so lenient, and had just eliminated her and her company right away, Zero would be with him right at this moment.

His fists clenched. How could he have made such an erroneous judgement? The pureblood had always prided himself on being able to accurately read people. It was a huge reason why he was such a shrewd and efficient businessman. For him to have failed now... It was just too cruel that the _one_ time he had slipped up, it had led to his lover deciding to leave him for good.

Unless... it _hadn't _been Chikako.

As if somehow sensing his train of thought, Seiren stepped forward, placing a file on his desk. When Kaname flipped it open, hard, cruel eyes stared up at him from a photograph.

'While I couldn't find anything amiss about Chikako, her assistant, Genzo Eiji, has been reported by colleagues as behaving suspiciously for the past few weeks, disappearing for hours on end without a valid explanation.'

Kaname briefly glanced through the file, noting how he was closely involved in most of the company's projects and deals. He had apparently been with Reiya Pharmaceutical Holdings ever since Chikako's father had been running it, and had decided to stay on even after she took over. Wine orbs once again examined the vampire in the photograph. Was this the man who had screwed with his life?

'Do you have any evidence?'

Seiren shook her head. 'No, he is far too careful and guarded. However, he has a younger brother, Isamu, who is also working in the company. He is a careless, nervous man, and I believe I can crack him.'

The pureblood nodded, dark eyes glinting in the shadows of the room. 'Do it, but be careful. We need to bring concrete evidence to Chikako if we are to seek her cooperation in this.'

'Yes, Kaname-sama,' replied Seiren quietly, before she turned to leave.

'Seiren, wait.'

She paused, turning back to fix him with a questioning look. 'Is there anything else, Kaname-sama?'

The pureblood gazed at her silently for a few seconds, before he asked, 'are you aware of what I am about to do?'

She blinked. Of course she was; she knew everything about him. Why was he asking her such a question?

'Yes, Kaname-sama.'

'...Do you think it's a rash decision?'

If Seiren had not been a master at masking her own emotions, she would have gaped at him, jaw hanging open. As it was, her eyes widened in surprise as she realised that the pureblood was actually asking for _her _opinion. That had never happened before. For him to ask now, he must have been pretty stressed and worried about this matter.

But of course he could be. This was no simple decision.

'I think that it's what Kaname-sama truly wants to do, and that's all that matters.'

She was aware that she was not addressing the question, but this was what she believed, and what she knew he needed to hear. Without Zero around, he was clearly lost and miserable. As long as it would bring back the joy and softness in his eyes, she would be willing to do _anything_. The pureblood's safety and happiness were the only things that she cared for. Everything else was inconsequential.

Kaname eyed his praetorian silently. The gaze in her eyes was sincere and understanding. He knew, of course, that she never would have voiced her displeasure at any of his decisions, but knowing that he had her full support and acceptance of this particular one filled him with immense gratitude, even if he could not display it.

'I see. I trust you will continue to deal with this matter for me, as well as keep an eye on Zero?'

Seiren bowed immediately. 'Of course, Kaname-sama.'

'...Seiren?'

Halfway out the door, the female vampire once again turned back at her master's call.

'Thank you... for everything.'

A small smile flitted across her lips as she bowed again.

_Be safe, Kaname-sama._

* * *

**That's the end! :) Hope you guys enjoyed it :) I can't really remember whether Blackened Wing talks about Lily in her stories, so I'm just going to go with her being left in the Academy stables. Hopefully it fits :) This chapter was more on the interactions between the past and present Kaname and Zero :) Chapter 13 should be more interesting :) **

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**Sonzai Taz: **Hello! Thank you so much for reading this story, and for your compliments :) Hmm.. regarding whether Zero would think Kaname would choose Yuuki over him... Honestly, I would have to answer that with a yes. Because, well, it was initially Kaname liking Yuuki, and vice versa. Zero only came into the picture because of the blood bond, and everything that happened just continued on from there. If Yuuki hadn't died, Kaname would still love them both equally much. It's only my opinion, of course, but I think that Zero _would_ feel that insecurity, if Kaname had a choice between him and Yuuki. Because in SitD, the only reason it wasn't Yuuki helping Kaname through was because she wasn't around. If she had been... she might've ended up as the one helping him. But, again, that's just my opinion though :) Yeah, I was kinda thinking hard about whether present Zero is stronger, or past Kaname... I still can't decided hahahaha. But there's also a little something else that I might use to explain it later though :) Oh, thank you so much for all your nice words :):) Hehehe _is _she the villain? Guess we'll have to wait and see :) YAY I'm so glad you liked those funny moments. Writing humour's not one of my best suits, so even though I try, it may not really come through? I'm glad that you enjoyed them though :) Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! I really like being able to have 'conversations' with my readers this way, finding out their thoughts, so thank you :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well :):)

**shia naru: **Heheh past Kaname is still all confused about how he's feeling towards present Zero. He doesn't know if he likes him or not haha. I made past Zero suffer abit in this chapter... I hope he forgives me hehehe T.T Thank you very much! I may not be able to update as frequently now though, but I shall definitely try my best. I hope you continue to support Switched and enjoy the story :) Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review :)

**kanamexzero fan: **I wanted to touch on what present Kaname was going to do in this chapter... but looks like it shall be in the next instead, I'm sorry :( Hahah I'm afraid Zero's a little stubborn though, bad Zero! Hahah but it seems like past Kaname is getting nicer to him; maybe it's not just about using him anymore? ;) Thank you so much for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well :)

**geekielove1: **Oh WOW. Such unbelievably kind words! Sometimes I get disheartened because of the little response I get for this fic, but when you guys _do_ review, it's to leave the most _awesome _reviews! THANK YOU SO MUCH for making an account to support me; it means A LOT! I can't even express my gratitude in words... just, THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES! Yes, I have that same conflict too! He's being so annoyingly stubborn about this, to the extent that he's hurting Kaname so badly, but then he's doing it because he wants to save someone he loves... so it's hard :( Thank you SO MUCH for your review and kind words! Hope you enjoyed this chap :)

**BlackAbyss: **Hello! I got both your reviews, but thank you so much for taking extra time to write the second one! :) Hahaha 'attention span of a squirrel' that's one I haven't heard before LOOOOL! I'm so glad it brightened up your day, because that's all I ever want my writing to do: bring joy :) Oh wow, literally hanging in a tree? That sounds really fun! Though I think that if I ever did it, I'd just go dizzy and faint or something HAHAHA. I think cats are really cool, so you're really cool too :):) Thank you so much for the compliment about writing it like a movie :) I've always hoped that the long descriptions don't irk anyone HAHAHA. I used to like that movie too, though it has been a last time since I watched it :) Oh, thank you :) Negative comments... I think they would make me fall into depression for about a day hahaha. But if it's constructive criticism on how to improve, I gladly welcome it :) Oh, that sounds like a depressing line :( Everything in this world is rule by people who have the money and power, isn't it :( Or am I interpreting it wrongly haha? Anyway, thank you so much for the reviews and support! Hope this chapter was enjoyable for you too :):)


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** Hello guys! Here's chapter 13! I think it's the longest chapter so far hahaha, so bear with me if it's a little too draggy. I had a really hard time writing this chapter; I knew the kind of feeling I wanted to express, but somehow... the words just didn't come easily. So if anything seems disjointed or weird, please forgive me :) Also, there's quite a lot of switching of time periods and perspectives in this chapter, so I hope you don't get confused. I use a line break to separate the past and present, and 'XXX' to separate different perspectives/times within a particular time period.

Alright then, please enjoy this chapter as well! And please leave me any thoughts you have in a review :) I truly appreciate them :)

**Disclaimer:**Credits to **Matsuri Hino**, **Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB**!

* * *

_PRESENT_

'How could he do something like that!? Didn't he stop to think about Kaname-sama's feelings at all!? That selfish bastard!'

Kain sighed, massaging his temples, as if that would reduce the strain on his brain from having spent hours in the same car as his cousin. Ever since the call from Kaname-sama, Aidou had been ranting about the same thing over and over and _over_ again.

'Kain! Don't you care!?' Aidou whirled around to glare at his silent cousin, face red from having gotten so worked up.

He rolled his eyes. Of course he cared. Just because he wasn't throwing a hissy fit and practically frothing at the mouth didn't mean he didn't care. During his cousin's phone conversation with the pureblood, his sensitive ears had picked out the anxiety and melancholy in his voice, even if they were very well-disguised. The fatigue in his quiet voice had been unmistakable, as well. Had he been sleeping at all? Or taking care of himself? Zero would probably glower and berate them for not ensuring that Kaname-sama was well-looked after, especially since he wasn't around to do it himself.

Zero... Kain's eyes darkened slightly. He had to admit, he had not been surprised when Aidou told him about what he had done. It was just like the hunter to sacrifice himself for the welfare and happiness of the people he loved. But didn't he realise that his actions were causing Kaname-sama immense pain now? Did he _truly_ believe that Yuuki could bring him more happiness? Did he not see how the pureblood's eyes lit up like fireworks whenever Zero walked into the room? How the smile that spread across his usually-indifferent face from watching him was as bright as the sun? How his arms would eventually snake around him, just because he could not stop himself from wanting to touch his lover?

Kain sighed again, softly and genuine this time. Why did things have to be so complicated? The couple had finally managed to catch a break after being hit with so many calamities and horrors. Was it too much to ask for them to be able to live out the rest of their lives in blissful peace?

'Oi, earth to Kain?'

The noble glanced up, irritation scrawled all over his face. His idiot blonde cousin was still scowling at him, waiting for an answer. As if his response would change anything.

'The others are already here,' he replied instead, turning his head to gaze out the car window at Night Haven looming up ahead.

Attention successfully diverted away from his cousin, Aidou's eyes bulged as he, too, sensed the presence of the others. 'Oh, _crap!_ They weren't supposed to get here so early! I haven't told Kaname-sama... He's going to _kill_ me!'

The corners of Kain's lips crooked upwards into an amused smile as he watched his cousin twisting his hands in his hair, mussing up his previously well-styled hairstyle. Many things may have changed about Aidou, but he was still as particular about his appearance as he had been back in the Academy.

But apparently, the fear of a pureblood's ire trounced his desire to look good.

Even before the car had fully rolled to a stop, Aidou was flinging the car door open, rushing up to the house.

'Come on, Kain,' he called, when he had reached the porch. 'Hurry up!'

Kain grunted in annoyance as he slowly helped the third passenger out of the car. 'Aren't you forgetting something, Aidou?'

The blonde turned, eyes widening as he realised what – no, _who_ – his cousin was referring to. 'Oh, right, sorry.'

Kouya Misako, the human who had been riding with them, shot Kain a small smile. 'Thank you, dear.'

Slipping his hands around her frail body, the noble gently lifted her up into his arms, cradling her carefully against his chest as he made his way over to Aidou.

'It's no trouble at all, Kouya-san,' he replied, returning her smile.

Aidou turned away from the pair, muttering a soft 'suck up' under his breath as he raised a fist, about to knock at the door...

...which opened right at that second, revealing a disgruntled pureblood.

'Aidou, I do believe I said to bring only Kain and yourself. I definitely don't recall asking you to involve the rest of my inner circle.'

The blonde noble gulped, guiltily averting the pureblood's gaze. It was true, Kaname-sama had not asked that of him, but, well... He had just wanted to make sure the pureblood was safe. If roping everyone else in would ensure a higher chance of success for his plan, Aidou was not about to hesitate, even if Kaname-sama was displeased with his actions.

Well, that had been his thoughts at that time, at least. Now, with the pureblood standing right in front of him, eyeing him this way, it was a little hard to remember his earlier willingness to take whatever punishment Kaname-sama doled out to him.

'I'm sorry, Kaname-sama,' mumbled Aidou dejectedly. Maybe he should not have stuck his nose in where it didn't belong. This _was_ a very personal issue for the pureblood, after all. He probably did not appreciate him spreading word of it so easily.

Kaname sighed softly at the despondent look upon the noble's face. He had not meant for his words to come across as an admonishment, even though it _had _ticked him off a little when the other vampires had all just shown up at his house without warning. But he did understand Aidou's intentions, nevertheless. The noble had only been doing it for his sake.

'Don't worry about it. I understand.'

Aidou's head shot up at those words, gaping at the pureblood in shock. Kaname gave him a small smile of gratitude, before his attention was captured by the approaching couple.

The pureblood immediately stepped forward, greeting the elderly woman in Kain's arms.

'Kouya-san, I am Kuran Kaname. Thank you very much for agreeing to this.'

Misako gazed up at the young man standing before him. Like most people, she had heard his name multiple times, from his many business dealings all over the world, but she had never had the chance to see how he looked like. Such a handsome boy, she thought with a smile, greeting him in reply, before thanking him as well. He was doing her a favour, as well, after all.

Kaname then ushered them in, leading them to the living room, where Rima, Takuma, Ruka and Shiki were already seated comfortably on the couches. After Kain gently settled Misako on the couch, he went over to Ruka, squeezing her hand tightly. She had been away on business for the past few weeks, and had only just returned. The two of them had not had much contact during that time, what with the time difference and their own busy schedules. They exchanged happy, relieved smiles as they relaxed against each other on the couch. Accidentally witnessing Kain pressing a kiss on Ruka's cheek, Aidou pulled a face as he pretended to gag.

But secretly, he was glad that they were finally reunited. Kain had been one angsty vampire while Ruka had been away.

XXX

'Everyone,' Kaname called as he stood up, drawing their attention to him. 'I'm sure Aidou has already filled you in on what's been happening thus far.'

Even though Kaname had not really meant anything by that line, the blonde noble still flushed and ducked his head.

'I will not allow Zero to remain in the past this way, even if it's his decision.'

Six vampires stared back, nodding in assent.

Misako coughed softly, the actions racking her thin, frail body. Despite the pain, she lifted her head to gaze up at Kaname, wonderment illuminating her blurry eyes. The absolute love and possessiveness in his voice was clear for all to hear. Even his face, though pinched with exhaustion and worry, was steeled with determination. While she did not fully comprehend the situation, it was clear to her that this dear man was not about to let his lover suffer even the slightest. This Zero did not know how blessed he was, to be so loved like this. Her vision might be poor, but they had seen much over the decades. Humans searched all their lives to find such pure, unconditional love, and most never found it, ending up dying alone, filled with bitterness and regrets. Misako herself had experienced it once, a long time ago. It had been a wonderful memory, one that had unfortunately ended much too quickly. Millions would willingly die in exchange for a few days of the happiness that this Zero had. He was a fool to leave it all behind.

'As all of you are well aware of, I have decided to go after him, to persuade him to return. And the only way I can do that is by having the same spell cast onto me.'

Kaname paused, meeting each of their earnest gazes.

'That is why I need your help.'

Without even a second's hesitation, the nobles nodded their heads in unison, signalling their willingness to aid him.

Slightly taken aback by that incredible demonstration of such utter loyalty towards him, Kaname fell silent, lost in his thoughts. It was amazing, really, that with this group of vampires, he did not have to _order _or _command,_ or even _threaten._ All his life, he had grown up giving orders to other vampires. Never a request, never a plea. Just his wishes, muttered in a crisp tone, and they would bow at his feet, eager to obey. After all, they had no choice; it was literally in their blood. And it hadn't been all that long ago when he had viewed this group the same way, as vampires of a lower class than him, vampires who were _meant_ to serve him and fulfil his every wish.

But now... things were so different. He didn't have to ask to know that they would do their best to support him. And not because they feared him, or were obliged to obey. It was because they _genuinely _wanted to help him, whether it was in his business dealings or in his personal life. They really _cared._ And the knowledge that he had actual _friends_ who had his back was just plain incredible. Again, Kaname looked at each of them in turn, this time taking the time to examine each vampire carefully.

Rima. Shiki. Ruka. Kain. Aidou. Takuma.

His friends. No, friendship didn't even _begin _to cover everything that they'd been through together. The joy. The suffering. The good times. The bad.

They were like _family._

Kaname mentally kicked himself. This was ridiculous. Why was he getting all teary-eyed? It wasn't like he was never going to see them again, for goodness' sake!

But then a little voice chirped up in the back of his mind. _You might not... Not if you die during the spell. Or if Zero refuses to return with you._

_Shut up, _hissed the pureblood in his mind.

Nevertheless, he found himself having to clear away a teeny lump in his throat before he could speak again.

Gesturing toward Misako, he began again, making certain to use a clear, business-like tone to prevent any of his previous sappy thoughts from showing through.

'Everyone, this is Kouya Misako. She is sixty-six years old this year, and has been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. The doctors say that she has three-'

Abruptly, Kaname broke off mid-sentence, horror and self-disgust slowly creeping up his spine. What was he _doing?_ Reciting the details of her condition as casually as if he were speaking about the weather, and in such a cold, indifferent voice, too! This concerned someone's _life_, and he was discussing her death as if it were nothing more than squashing an ant beneath his shoe. How couldhe be so callous? So heartless?

The other vampires watched, aghast, as their pureblood prince dropped to his knees in front of the old lady, before taking her thin, wrinkly hand gently in his. Contrition and remorse in his eyes, he brought it to his lips, pressing them lightly against her knuckles.

'Forgive me, Kouya-san,' murmured the pureblood quietly, wine eyes gazing beseechingly into hers weary ones.

Aidou stiffened, a perturbed expression on his face, beginning to voice out a protest, but Ruka placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head lightly.

_Kaname-sama _wants _to do this. So just leave it be._

Perhaps it was because it was _Ruka_, the vampire who was as fiercely protective of the pureblood as he was, who was dissuading him, Aidou only hesitated for a second, before nodding tersely, much to everyone's astonishment. He turned back toward the kneeling pureblood, heart swelling in adoration and reverence as he gazed at him.

_Kaname-sama. Know that nothing will ever lower the opinion I have of you. I will always support and respect you._

For one nerve-wrecking second, Kaname had feared that the impulsive blonde would jump up from his seat, yelling something about how his 'magnificent Kaname-sama' should not kneel. But much to his relief, Ruka had managed to calm him down. Still, he could practically feel Aidou's focussed gaze boring holes into his figure.

Putting aside the reactions of his inner vampires, Kaname continued to gaze into Misako's eyes, silently entreating her to forgive him for his tactlessness, even though it had been a deplorable mistake.

Misako smiled down at the pureblood, patting his hand gently. His words had not bothered her in the slightest, but his apologetic actions sent a warm rush of happiness bubbling through her. It had been so long since someone, _anyone_, cared about her feelings. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to have people who bothered about her. And this kind stranger, the one who had promised to relieve her of her suffering and end her painful, miserable life, was doing just that. Was this what it would have been like to have children?

It was a good feeling, she concluded.

'It's alright, dearie. I've already accepted my fate, so don't you worry about hurting my feelings. Now, come on and sit up here next to me,' she urged, motioning to the spot on the couch next to her. 'No need for you to be hurting your knees for an old lady like me. You still have a lover to catch.'

Kaname chuckled softly, the remorse in his eyes slowly changing into tenderness as he obeyed her wishes, settling down next to her. Her hand remained clasped in his. It was cold, and also trembling slightly, he realised. Reaching out for the other hand as well, he enveloped both of them in his larger, warm ones, doing his best to keep them warm.

Misako laughed lightly as she realised his intentions, her pain forgotten for now as a pleasant, fuzzy warmth spread through her, not merely from her captured hands, but also from her heart. Shooting him a grateful smile, she turned towards the rest of their company.

'When I was diagnosed, the doctors said that I had only three months left.' A rueful look flitted across her face. 'That was four months ago.'

Kaname stilled instantly, tensing up as he gazed at her with worried eyes. He hadn't meant for her to take over the recounting, his silence had not been for that...!

As if sensing his anxiety, Misako squeezed his hands lightly. She would've turned to smile at him reassuringly again, if not for the fact that she wasn't sure she could move again without more agony bursting out across her body. Already, she was shaking from having exerted herself so much. She sincerely hoped Kaname did not notice; he seemed like the type to worry too much. And he already had so much on his plate...

Aidou's eyes met hers and she smiled at him, recalling how she had been in the midst of her explanation.

'Aidou here came to see me at the hospital, asking if I would help his master out with something. My life... in exchange for an end to all this pain.' Her smile deepened as her gaze swept the room. 'At those words, I practically _begged_ him to have me.'

The other vampires obligingly cracked smiles, even though amusement was the furthest thing from their minds as they gazed upon the terminally-ill woman speaking of her death so calmly.

'Kouya-san...' murmured Kaname, eyebrows creased in concern. When he had read through Misako's file, all he had been looking out for was the severity of her illness. He had hardly spared a glance at her photograph, or even at her personal details. The honest reason why he had chosen her was because she was suffering the most, and had the lowest life expectancy. He had thought those to be to his advantage, _tools _that could be used to get her to agree.

But now that she was here in person, such a sweet, old woman, doubts and guilt were swarming him incessantly. How could he even _think _of using her as a sacrifice? Not only would Zero hate it, _he _abhorred it as well. Sending such a wondrous, lovely lady into death... how could he?

This time, Misako _did_ force herself to face him, even though her muscles and joints protested wildly. _Shush_, she commanded them, imploring her limbs to quit their shaking. His voice and tense hands were clear signs of his hesitation and second-guessing. And she didn't want him to change his mind. For the first time in a long time, she had woken up this morning with a smile, knowing that she would never again have to feel the agonising pain tearing at her insides, never again have to lie limply in the dull hospital room, staring at the calendar and slowly counting down the days until she could finally be free.

She couldn't live like that anymore. It needed to end.

'Stop fretting, young one. I _want _this, or else I would not be here. Don't renege on your word now, or I absolutely won't forgive you,' admonished the old woman, even though she was half-serious. She truly craved, no, _needed _this relief.

Despite the anguish in his eyes, Kaname nodded solemnly, silently swearing his promise to her. Following his lead, the other vampires nodded as well. Equally pained expressions were in all of their eyes as they regarded the sagely woman.

XXX

Kaname pressed a kiss onto Misako's weathered forehead, before he gazed tenderly into her eyes. The elderly woman was lying on her back on the couch, despite her protests to be moved onto the floor so that it was less of a hassle. Kaname had steadfastly refused. They could draw the symbol on the floor first and move her after she had-.

When it was all-.

...Later.

'Are you sure about this, Kouya-san?'

That question, whispered softly, yet thickly laced with concern, made Misako smile once again. Such a darling, this Kuran Kaname. No one had ever been this gentle with her before, not even the doctors or nurses at the hospital. It made her heart flutter and her mind lighten. Strange. He was making her feel better than any medicine ever had before.

'Yes, dear one. I am certain.'

She paused to cough, harsh coughs that racked her slight frame. Kaname was instantly bending over her in concern, but she waved him off, eyes closing as she rode the attack out.

_Hopefully this will be the last_, she prayed silently.

When she opened her eyes again, it was to drop straight into beautiful, dark eyes. Extraordinarily deep and mesmerising, they gave her the impression that if she wasn't careful enough, she would find herself drowning in those mysterious fathomless depths. Not that she would mind, really.

_What a great sight to gaze upon before one's death_, she thought, bliss suffusing not only her hurting body, but also her old, weak heart.

'Thank you for this, Kuran Kaname,' she whispered, voice trembling slightly. It was requiring more and more effort for her to keep her eyes open, so she just let them flutter shut again. 'I sincerely hope you find what you're looking for.'

The pureblood gave a shaky smile, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, though whether for her or him, he couldn't say. He gazed down upon her again, the small woman barely taking up half the couch, eyes closed in exhaustion, body cold and quivering.

She didn't have long now.

It was time.

Kaname took a deep, shuddering breath, hand still tightly holding onto the other's. He turned his head briefly to look at the other five vampires. They all looked as grim and saddened as he felt.

He returned his gaze to Misako. This elderly woman... he had only met her a half hour ago, yet she had somehow already managed to leave such a profound imprint on his heart.

And not many were able to touch the heart of Kuran Kaname.

He wouldn't forget this. Ever.

_Please rest in peace, Kouya Misako._

Then he closed his eyes.

XXX

This was terrible work, thought Aidou. This was one of the few times he wished that he had not been asked by the pureblood to do something.

The blood was oozing out of the pale, paper-thin skin, dripping down leisurely, drop by drop; plop by plop.

It didn't tempt him, of course, that would be _unthinkable_, but still...

This was the blood of an innocent human.

Normal vampires would hardly blink at the thought, but Aidou and his friends, under Kaname-sama's lead, had gradually become accustomed to living and working amongst humans. At first, it had only been protecting them... But somehow, protection had inadvertently extended into care and consideration.

And now, this... this was just too hard. Even if it was what she wanted. Even if it was inevitable.

Aidou shivered imperceptibly, before he picked up the bowl, joining Kain on the kitchen floor.

XXX

Kaname hoisted the body gently up in his arms, slowly making his way over to the kitchen. The symbol had been carefully drawn out on the floor. He knew he had been asking too much of Aidou and Kain, but there was no other choice. He couldn't do it himself; the spell casters had to do it, mixing in their own blood from time to time.

Carefully, with the utmost gentleness, he lowered her onto the floor, arranging her respectfully. She was already blessedly unconscious, but Kaname wanted to do it right, even if she wasn't aware of it. It was the least he could do, after all.

For a second, he just gazed down upon her, lying there so peacefully. She looked almost as if she were just sleeping. As if she would open her eyes anytime now and smile up at him again.

But of course he knew the truth.

At least pain could no longer touch her now.

* * *

_PAST_

'Crap, crap, crap!'

How had he ended up sleeping for _fourhours? _And in such an awkward position too. Zero stretched hurriedly, wincing at the ache in his neck. Taking a few seconds to pet Lily goodbye, he quickly strode out of the stables, rubbing his bleary eyes tiredly before casting his gaze around.

It was dark now, the sun long hidden beneath the horizon. If he let his eyes wander on the night sky, he could almost make out the stars starting to peek out from the shroud of night.

_Damn it! _

He had planned on sticking close to Yuuki, in case tonight was _the_ night. But not only had he missed her during class changeover, she would be almost done with patrolling by now. Picking up his speed, Zero continued on, tuning into his vampire senses as he tried to pinpoint her location. But she wasn't anywhere nearby. Strange, thought Zero. Could she have already returned? It _was _possible...

Still he searched on, black uniform fading into the darkness of night as he wandered further into the shadows.

* * *

_PRESENT_

Kaname could have locked the door with his mind. Or held the doorknob still so that it would not turn.

But he did not.

He let Zero stomp in, drawn by the unmistakeable scent of blood saturating the air.

Zero's eyes bulged in horror when he saw the bloody masterpiece on the kitchen floor. There was so much blood everywhere, not only on the floor, but some splatters on the couch and across the living room floor as well. Despite the copious amount of pureblood blood he'd had mere hours ago, red bled into his eyes almost immediately after he entered the room. Regardless, he fought down the rising hunger.

He was already on high alert with the smell of blood hanging so thickly in a room full of vampires, but it was only when he saw the old woman laying limply in a bloody circle that his heart stopped, and Bloody Rose was instantly whipped out.

His target... Kuran Kaname.

'_Shit_, you bloodsucker, what have you done!?'

It wasn't like he didn't already know the answer; he had recognised the Time Switcher Spell's symbol from Aidou's book. However, never in his wildest dreams had he expected _Kuran_ to do such a terrible thing, to take a human life so casually. Of course, that had been the most ridiculous assumption he had ever made. The guy was a _vampire._ So what if he had sworn to live on blood tablets and work towards coexistence? So what if he treated Yuuki as if she were the most delicate flower on the planet? He was still a heartless, soulless bastard, and Zero had been a fool to think that he had changed at all, just because he had _laughed._

Zero ground his teeth, finger twitching on the trigger, gun locked firmly on the pureblood's heart. Kuran didn't even deserve a chance to defend himself. He sure hadn't given that poor, innocent woman the same luxury. The prefect's eyes fell over her form again. She was sopale, chest barely moving at all. Blood was still sluggishly trickling out of a small wound on her wrist. Zero's breathing quickened as he quickly averted his gaze, reeling in horror and revulsion. She was just a weak, old woman. She didn't deserve such brutality! How could he?

Two times now. This was the second time in days that Kaname was staring down the muzzle of an anti-vampire gun, with an irate hunter at the other end. He supposed that this time it was justified though. Zero probably thought that they had murdered a defenceless old woman just for their own means. Kaname's heart constricted as he once again gazed upon Misako's small, pallid face. Was that so very different from the truth, after all?

_No,there's no time for doubts now. It's too late to change your mind. Don't let her sacrifice be in vain._

The other vampires in the room had all jumped to their feet, forming a circle around the two of them, tensed and ready to pounce on the Zero-imposter who dared to aim his weapon at their pureblood. Kaname gave a subtle shake of the head, a clear indication he did not want them to interfere. Then he squared his shoulders, regarding the boy in front of him. Even though his hands were shaking slightly, at least he was having no visible difficulty standing upright. That was a relief, he thought. At least he seemed to be in a better condition that before.

'This is not what you think, Zero,' he said crisply. The hunter deserved an explanation, which was why he had let him barge in. But still, he hoped this wouldn't take too long. Misako's breathing was getting quieter and shallower.

Zero's features twisted into a disgusted grimace. 'Oh, is that right? So you're _not_ sacrificing a human to carry out the Time Switcher Spell to chase after your Zero?'

The pureblood grunted impatiently. He should've known, really. There was no way the belligerent and acrimonious hunter would be so easily convinced. But there was not time to deal with his dramatics, even if his resentment and suspicions were not unfounded. For a brief second, Kaname stared intently at Zero as he considered simply knocking him out.

But then, without warning, Aidou sprung forward, shoving an open manila file into Zero's face.

'Here, look, you idiot! She was terminally ill. She _agreed_ to this!So will you just shut up already! We need to do this _now!'_

Everyone gaped at Aidou in surprise. Even Kaname's eyes widened at the blonde's actions. A small flush crept onto his face, but he resolutely remained standing between the pureblood and the hunter. He had forced himself to bite his tongue even when this Zero was threatening his dearest master's life, but this was just wasting precious time. Misako's weary heart was barely even beating any more, her wound no longer leaking blood. Time was running out!

Zero snarled at the noble's boorishness, almost deciding to just go ahead and pull the trigger, until the words 'stage four cancer' caught his eye. One hand shot out to snatch the document out of Hanabusa's fingers, mistrustful amethyst eyes quickly scanning the words on the pages.

_Oh._

Was it true, then? Cancer... it hurt a lot, didn't it? If the wily vampires had offered her relief from the pain, it was possible she would have leapt at the opportunity. A chance to leave all the suffering behind.

But that still didn't make it right!

Zero's eyes narrowed, denial and rejection clearly written in his eyes. But then, Aidou's expression suddenly softened, causing him to falter, the snide retort on his tongue dissolving.

Not paying him any mind, the noble turned to look back at the woman. 'Don't you see the smile on her face?' His voice was barely a whisper.

Having been distracted by all the blood earlier, Zero had not really noticed her _expression_, but now that Hanabusa had pointed it out...

Zero sucked in a deep breath. A soft, tender smile rested upon her pale lips, her face the picture of tranquillity, despite the startling pallor. He had never seen anyone look so peaceful, whether alive or dead. Agony and fear were the only expressions he saw on the faces of the vampires he annihilated, and the people around him, well, they were always stressing about something or another. There was always that small crease in their brow, that shadow in their eyes, even in the happy-go-lucky Yuuki and the lunatic Cross. Needless to say, the vampires of the Night Dorm all just appeared as if they were eternally brooding about something – probably blood. Anyway, for a _human_ to look so blissfully happy... it could not have been faked, could it? She had chosen to die with a smile on her face. No one would do that unless they were truly feeling that way. And if that were so, this couldn't be all bad, right? If it eased her pain?

Zero had never had much of an opinion regarding euthanasia, but that smile... it just made all his resentment and fury fizzle away.

Because it looked so much like the one future Zero had on his face, in the photograph that was currently nestling in his pocket.

He was probably being an idiot, letting himself get influenced by the stupid future self whom he had once described as crazy and soft... but the matching expressions of pure happiness on their faces were just so unsettling. Future Zero had been ecstatic to see the pureblood again. Even if Zero could not understand the ludicrosity of his response, the joy from the other had definitely been real. And he had made that kind of an expression. So then, it would mean that this Kouya Misako was probably equally relieved to die as well...?

Zero lowered his gun, but refused to give up his scowl. Okay, so _maybe_ the blonde idiot _was _telling the truth. Then he took a step backwards, eyes roaming over the symbol on the floor.

Aidou exhaled in relief. He still couldn't really believe that it had worked. Oh, good, _finally_ he had done something useful. Perhaps this could make up for what had happened with the whipped cream. The noble stepped away from Zero, grinning triumphantly at Kain, not noticing that the hunter's features were twisting in incomprehension and suspicion.

Zero's brows furrowed further, his eyes darkening as he examined the floor. It was clear that Kuran was attempting to travel to the past. Probably to meet up with his Zero again, likely to get him to change his mind and return to this future with him.

But... why?

Why was the pureblood so bothered by his future self's decision to remain in the past? Surely he hated the way things had turned out? Been bound to an ex-human, having to take him in as a protégé, and having Yuuki decide to walk a path all on her own – there was no way that Kuran _wanted _these! Zero may have been spiteful, but he wasn't blind. He saw the way the pureblood looked at her, the way his eyes lit up whenever she was around. Yuuki was _everything_ to him. Yet, despite knowing that there was a chance to stop her from leaving, Kuran was not going to take it? Was he supposed to believe that the pureblood would rather have him than Yuuki? Like hell! That was freaking impossible!

Kaname had not really expected Zero to be at all convinced by Aidou's words. He was almost about to step forward to resolve the situation quickly, until he saw an indecipherable look cross the hunter's face. The next thing he knew, Bloody Rose was out of sight, and Zero was staring intently at him. Contrary to what he had expected, it wasn't disgust or hatred that was reflected in those gorgeous lilac eyes that he loved. No, it was just pure bewilderment.

'Why are you risking so much just for one level D? What game are you playing here?'

Kaname's eyes flashed in anger. 'Don't you dare call him that. Zero is so much more than that.'

Zero felt like he couldn't breathe. Why? Why did the pureblood look so outraged? He was acting as if he actually _cared_ for his Zero. As if they weren't sworn enemies. As if the unintended bond was not the only reason they were together.

From the knowledge that Kuran addressed Zero by name, he had already guessed that the two of them were now on civil terms, at least. But for Kuran to have defended him in such a manner... that wasn't something he had ever imagined. How could that be? There was no way anyone other than Yuuki would concern themselves about him, much less the vampire he had been enemies with for years.

There had to be some other reason the pureblood was doing this. Definitely not just because he couldn't stand to be without the hunter.

Definitely not...

Kaname's heart thumped painfully as he saw the myriad of emotions crossing the prefect's face, before disbelief finally settled in. Did he think it impossible that Kaname genuinely cared about him? Was that how Zero saw himself? Just an ex-human; a mere pawn in the pureblood's chess game? No doubt, that was the Kaname of his time treated him, but after all that the prefect had learnt and seen since his arrival here, surely he had realised that everything had changed? That their present relationship was eons away from how it had been?

That thought gnawed at him. This may not have been hisZero, but this _was_ what he had been like, back before Rido. So consumed by mistrust and self-hatred, not feeling like he was worthy of anyone's love.

It was an unbelievably lonely existence.

Kaname had a sudden urge to take the boy in his arms, to embrace him tightly and murmur reassuring words in his ear until all the pain and desolation behind those eyes vanished.

But of course, this Zero would not take very kindly to that.

Instead, he settled for giving the hunter a soft, tender look, before quietly continuing on.

'Zero means a lot to me. Maybe you'll find that hard to comprehend, but it's the plain truth. And I will not have him suffer alone in the past this way. Not for anything.'

Zero swallowed at the intense expression in the pureblood's dark, smouldering eyes. He still couldn't believe that Kuran would risk his own life just to alleviate his future self's suffering, but... He was going through with this, wasn't he?

The hunter turned away, fists clenching in agitation. A conflicting blend of emotions was roiling up within him, making both his head and heart ache fiercely. Incredulity, disbelief, frustration, anger, and... – much as he hated to admit it – the faint stirrings of hope.

Could it be true? Someone truly _cared _about him...?

Almost immediately, self-disgust surged up within him. Why was he even feeling like this? Why should _Kuran Kaname_'s concern for him inspire anything other than revulsion? He was a _fool! _A stupid, gutless idiot! Was he _that _pathetic? Was he so desperate for any form of warmth that even the _pureblood _would suffice? He was truly despicable.

Seconds dragged out, a thick silence hanging in the air. Kaname sighed softly. The hunter's warring emotions were clearly reflected in his eyes, and they revealed how Zero was getting increasingly distressed, despite the pureblood's attempts to convince him of the truth.

He had hoped that perhaps he could get Zero to understand why he was doing this, but it would appear as though that were impossible. There really was no more time to waste. Any longer now, and Misako would be...

'I apologise for this, Zero.'

Zero looked up, eyebrows creasing in puzzlement, but before he could utter a single word, he felt Kaname penetrating his mind, filling it with a supreme wave of lethargy and commanding his body to fall asleep. His eyes widened in horror as he fought the invasion, but it wasn't long before his eyes were closing against his will, body slackening and crumpling.

_Kuran...!_

Kaname stepped forward to catch the hunter, but another pair of arms suddenly shot out, supporting the unconscious boy against his chest.

'I'll take him.'

'Yagari...' began Kaname hesitantly. Trying to stop Yagari from entering the room would have only made things worse, so he had let him in as well, despite the possible troublesome ramifications and delay. Would he, too, try to shoot him for hurting a human? Kaname groaned inwardly. He clearly needed to learn to stop allowing hunters in.

The old hunter eyed the pureblood pensively, throwing Zero over his shoulder. 'I heard everything.'

Then, much to Kaname's surprise and relief, he turned to walk away, drawling out a, 'I definitely don't approve of this, but...'

He glanced back briefly.

'Get my idiot student back.'

The corners of Kaname's lips turned upwards in a small smile.

'Yes, sir.'

XXX

One of the armchairs from the living room had been placed inside the kitchen, and that was where Kaname was currently seated, watching mutely as his inner circle vampires formed a circle around Misako and the symbol, shades at the ready.

Except Aidou, who was standing near Kaname, frowning down at the spell book as he confirmed that everything was in place.

'Aidou.'

The blonde jumped at the pureblood's voice, almost dropping the heavy tome in his hands.

'Yes, Kaname-sama? Did I miss something out?'

Kaname chuckled at his stricken expression. 'No, Aidou, everything's perfect. I just have one more favour to ask of you.'

'Anything, Kaname-sama!'

'After I leave, will you and the others stay on? Someone needs to watch over past Kaname and Zero to make sure they don't do anything foolish, or find out the truth about Yuuki.'

Aidou nodded immediately. Struck by a rare streak of foresight, he had guessed that Kaname-sama would make such a request. He and Kain's luggage were sitting in the boot of their car. The rest of the nobles had also agreed to remain at Night Haven. Everyone was going to remain here until Kaname-sama returned with Zero.

A brief smile crossed the pureblood's face, before it became sombre again.

'Also, past Zero seems to be unusually weak, perhaps the result of having the spell cast on him.' Here Kaname paused, regarding the blonde quietly. His next words were murmured in the faintest of whispers, such that the other vampires would not be able to hear him unless they were intent on listening in.

'I have stored some of my blood in the fridge, and I hope that you will give them to him when the need arises.'

Aidou's eyes widened in shock. So _that _was why the pureblood had appeared so pale tonight, because he had bled himself. But this... this was bad! It meant that Kaname-sama's strength was now compromised!

By deciding to use a dying human as sacrifice, they had already been gambling with the pureblood's life. But now, with the pureblood himself weakened as well, there was an even greater risk in casting the spell. What if... what if something went wrong?

'Kaname-sama! This isn't safe! If that's the case, even if six vampires-'

'Seven.'

Aidou yelped in surprise when Seiren suddenly appeared next to him, nodding calmly at him as if she had not just materialised from thin air.

'Geez! You scared the hell out of me!'

Seiren's only response was a brief flash of amusement across her eyes, before she made her way over to the other vampires, joining in the circle. Aidou scowled at her retreating back, his worry for the pureblood forgotten for the moment.

'Thank you for the concern, but I will be fine.'

Aidou's head snapped back around at his voice. 'Kaname-sama...!'

Kaname gave a small smile, before placing a hand on Aidou's shoulder. Such a loyal friend, always so worried for him. He was truly blessed to be surrounded by these vampires, thought Kaname.

'Thank you, Aidou.'

The blonde faltered, the gratitude in the pureblood's eyes and tone suffusing his heart with wonder and happiness. He was by no means placated, but just like what Ruka had said earlier, _this _was what Kaname-sama wanted. He would rather risk his life for Zero than live on without him. And who was Aidou to persuade him otherwise?

A silent growl built up within the noble. Zero was _so_ going to get frozen in ice once he came back. How dare he cause Kaname-sama such trouble and worry? Stupid, pig-headed hunter!

XXX

Within seconds, the circle of seven was complete. Seven voices merged into one as they recited the words of the spell, each of them gazing at the pureblood.

_Go safely, Kaname-sama, _was the unspoken sentiment in each of their hearts. _Go, and bring Zero home._

Kaname stared back at all of them, heart swelling in gratitude and warmth. His syndeo. His friends. Vampires that were so dear to him. Words could not express how thankful he was to have their ever-lasting support and respect, but he hoped they knew anyway.

As his vision started to waver, Kaname smiled. It was a genuine smile, one that touched the corners of his eyes. Perhaps the feelings he could not vocalise in words could be communicated through that simple action. Perhaps they would hear his heart's whispers. With his body slackening in the chair, head spinning wildly, he could only hope.

_Thank you all for everything. _

_If I don't return... _

_Please be well._

And then everything went dark.

* * *

_PRESENT_

Zero sighed in contentment, kicking his legs up and down leisurely, watching the ripples streak through the dark waters and spread further and further away. Above him, the not-quite-full moon beamed down at him, delightfully illuminating the handsome hunter in her soft, glittering glow.

He was lying on his back in the grass, head supported by clasped hands. The legs of his pants had been carelessly bunched up, everything from knee down submerged in the cool, glassy waters of the lake.

Zero had been intent on finding Yuuki, he _really _had been. Until he had passed by the lake, that is. Then everything had just fallen away.

The dark, still waters glimmered an enchanting tint of silver under the moonlight, drawing his undivided attention and snatching the breath right out of his lungs. With no breeze in the air, even the trees surrounding the edges of the lake were silent, like shadowy wardens guarding the peace and sanctity of the area. Without his realising it, his feet had led him right up to the edge of the lake, the reflection of the moon on the surface like a blinding beacon he could not ignore.

Perhaps he had still been tired. Or his defences were low. Whatever the reason was, it had not taken him long to flop down on the grass, practically ripping off his shoes and socks as he dipped his legs in.

The initial chill of the waters on his skin had not been unfamiliar. He could still recall wading into this same, welcoming embrace, clothes and all, with the sole purpose of ending his pathetic, miserable existence. The moon had been bigger then, as if maliciously seeking to reveal his cowardice. As if cruelly shining a spotlight on him, grinning as it announced to the whole world how weak Kiryuu Zero really was.

With a jolt, he realised the parallelism of the situations, then and now. In both cases, he had chosen to leave the pureblood, not leaving him any say whatsoever in the matter. Hoping that things would all somehow turn out for the better, he had just gone ahead, not once looking back.

So many years had passed since the night Zero had tried to commit suicide, yet here he was again, at the very same spot, making the same selfish decision he had then. It felt like he had just gone full circle, coming right back here.

At least this time he wasn't running away, thought Zero wryly as he gazed intently up at the moon, as if trying to convince it of his sincere intentions. This time, he was doing it for both Yuuki and Kaname's happiness. A chance to start anew, to prevent any and all calamities that would have befallen them otherwise.

_Kaname, I hope you'll be happy. I miss you, though... So much..._

He sighed despondently at the thought of his lover, pale fingers reaching up to rub at his neck absentmindedly. The knot in his muscles from his earlier sleeping position was stubbornly refusing to leave, creating a maddening ache in his neck. Wasn't vampire healing supposed to take care of stuff like this?

His forlorn gaze drifted back over the lake, reliving how Kaname had pulled him out of his would-be watery grave all those years ago. Not only had he saved his life, he had also done his utmost best to make it a blissful one, one that Zero would never want to throw away again.

Zero's lips curled up into a little smile. Even if the Kaname that he loved ceased to exist, the memories that remained, both within his heart and in his necklace, would stay with him forever. Kaname would always be with him, sitting comfortably in his heart.

His eyes fluttered shut, the smile on his face growing wider even as a tear slipped out from the corner of one eye.

_Kaname... I will always love you._

XXX

'Kaname-sama! Are you all right?'

Kaname opened his eyes groggily, resisting the urge to groan. It felt as though someone had just hit him over the head with a huge sack of bricks. Not that anyone would ever have dared to do that, of course. Blinking several times to clear his blurry vision, he shifted upright in his seat, frowning as he glanced around him.

Takuma was the one addressing him, staring at him with a deep crease between his brows. Behind him, the rest of his inner class vampires were on the edges of their seats, shooting horrified and anxious looks his way. If not for Yagari's 'all you bloodsuckers, remain in your seats', they would have been by his side in an instant. Even so, he could see Aidou practically bouncing on his chair, deliberating whether or not to simply ignore their sensei and go to his pureblood.

'Kaname-sama? You suddenly fell unconscious. Are you feeling all right?' Takuma peered worriedly at him, frown deepening. 'You look a little pale.'

The pureblood blinked at him mutely, dazed mind still trying to process this weirdly familiar situation. The room they were in was unmistakeably a Cross Academy classroom, even if he had not been inside one in ages. Yagari was standing at the front, staring at him irritably, ever-present cigarette rolling between his lips. The hand resting on his gun was the only outward indication of his wariness.

And then, finally, the haze in Kaname's mind cleared, and it finally hit him.

The spell had worked! He was back in the past, obviously in the midst of a lesson. Dimly, he wondered how his past self was taking to waking up in a foreign place, but he quickly shoved that thought out of his mind. That was unimportant.

What _was, _was that Kaname had succeeded in getting here. To where _he _was. Where _Zero_ was.

At that thought, his heart rate sky-rocketed, heart pulsating so wildly that it as if like there was a woodpecker inside his chest, pounding relentlessly in an attempt to get out. He was so excited that it _hurt. _His senses were tingling in anticipation, hands trembling slightly.

Despite his heart and soul clamouring to communicate with Zero right away, he held himself back, gritting his teeth as he forced himself not to overwhelm the bond with his love and relief. Kaname wanted to reunite with him properly, to see his face fill with disbelief and amazement, to embrace him tightly. And so, all he allowed himself was a gentle brush against their bond, just the barest of touches, enough for the pureblood to feel him, but unobtrusive enough that Zero would not be alerted to his presence.

Oh, god.

He was _so, so_ close.

_Zero...!_

Without further delay, he pushed his chair back, getting swiftly to his feet. He couldn't wait any longer. He neededZero in his arms _now_. Not even the end of the world could stop him from heading to his lover's side. Even if millions of hunters stood between him and Zero, he would simply run through them, heedless of all the bullets penetrating his flesh. Even if he ended up losing the use of all his limbs, he would use his teeth to slowly drag himself there, inch by inch, pull by pull.

In short, _nothing_ was going to get in his way.

'Kuran? What's up with you?'

Kaname turned towards the old hunter, only _just_ managing to mask his irrepressible emotions behind a placid expression. 'Sensei, my apologises for the interruption, but I am feeling slightly unwell. I would like to excuse myself from the rest of my classes tonight.'

Without even waiting to hear his reply, Kaname nodded at his vampires, a signal for them to stay, before he vanished out the window.

XXX

Zero rubbed irritably at his neck. It was still throbbing uncomfortably, even though so much time had already passed. Shouldn't it have healed by now?

All of a sudden, he frowned, brows knitting together in confusion.

Was that... had he just felt something against his mind? It had felt almost like... like _Kaname_... but... no, it couldn't be. He was just getting so swept up in his memories that he was even starting to imagine things.

Laying back on the grass again, he let himself sink into his sea of memories again, a smile upon his lips.

XXX

His blood... why was the scent of his blood in the air?

Worry flooded into his senses, his initial excitement dampening as it was overcome by fear for his lover.

_Did something happen between past Kaname and Zero?_

Kaname picked up his speed, heart hammering wildly as panic began to seep in. The scent of Zero's blood was getting stronger the closer he got to him. Zero was all alone in the forest, Yuuki nowhere near. Add to that Zero's blood being spilt...

_God, no. Please, Zero, please be fine!_

The pureblood whizzed through the trees, just a blur shooting through the dark shadows, urgency driving him forward, not even caring if someone witnessed his blatant demonstration of his vampiric powers.

And then, abruptly, he pulled up short, one hand pressing flat against the trunk of an old oak tree to stop his momentum from throwing him forward.

_Zero...!_

The hunter was lying quietly on the grass, his legs sifting through the waters of the lake as if he were doing a slowed-down version of a flutter kick, the languid motions creating small waves which tumbled against the grassy edges of the lake. The moonlight shimmering down cast a soft, silvery sheen on his pale skin and hair, like the gentle caress of a lover as he trailed his fingertips down his perfect body. A peaceful smile lingered on his lips, transforming his face into a breath-taking masterpiece.

Kaname exhaled softly, the relief at finding his lover safe and sound quickly being replaced by love and adoration. Unable to peel his eyes away from the glorious sight before him, he stepped forward slowly, footsteps muted by the grass.

As he approached, Zero started to stir, body tensing up slightly even though his eyes remained firmly shut, as if he were refusing to leave whatever visions and dreams playing out behind his eyelids. That did not deter him, however. Nothing would.

He continued moving closer, keeping his steps measured and small, despite the overwhelming urge to rush over there and gather the unguarded hunter into his arms.

'What are you doing out of class, Kuran?'

Kaname inhaled sharply at the sound of his lover's voice. Though annoyance laced his words, it was still Zero's voice. One that had haunted him constantly over the past few days, even in dreams. His heart soared to the heavens, singing with giddy happiness. To be able to be so close to him again, to hear that dulcet voice again... he was suddenly struck with an irrepressible urge to pinch himself, to make sure this wasn't just another dream, that he wasn't going to wake up alone in his study once again.

Forcing that urge back down, he stopped where he was, just ten footsteps away from his lover. No more waiting. No more silence. He needed Zero now.

'Zero... Turn around.'

XXX

As the pureblood had continued to approach him, Zero had reluctantly gotten up into a sitting position, his eyes staring down at the lake waters. Why was Kuran out of class now? Could it be that Yuuki had once again approached him regarding her past? Was that what he was here to tell him about?

With each of Kaname's footsteps, feelings of intense longing and love had assaulted his senses, spinning him wildly out of control. Was this because he didn't want to see Yuuki agree to become the pureblood's lover, knowing that there would never be a place there for him? That he would only ever be watching silently from the outside?

The emotions had grown stronger and stronger as seconds of silence had passed, the pulsating in his neck now unbearably frustrating. His hand had automatically gone up to knead his neck muscles, as if that would assuage the incessant throbbing.

And then the vampire behind him had spoken.

His name, murmured in an entreating, raspy whisper.

Zero's heart immediately started pounding in his chest, his hands staring to quiver as everything that he had been experiencing all began to make sense. Like pieces of a puzzle, everything fell into place, revealing the full picture that he had been so blind to.

Feeling as if he were stuck in slow motion, he turned, breath hitching in his throat.

Yearning, disbelieving amethyst orbs instantly locked eyes with the pureblood standing behind him.

'...K-kaname...?'

* * *

**Finally! They're reunited :) Happy times ahead :) Well, mostly, at least.**

**I hope past Zero wasn't abit OOC here. I don't know if I managed to express what I wanted to, which is him feeling somewhat happy-ish that he's not quite as alone as he's always been, but also very pissed at himself for feeling that. Eh, it's so confusing lol.**

Replies to my dear reviewers:

**kanamexzero fan: **Hello :) Well, Zero didn't _quite_ return to Kaname; Kaname went to him instead. Which is just as awesome :) As long as they're together :) Oh, I didn't really have time to write about more interactions between past Kaname and present Zero in this chapter. They'll probably not be meeting again, though. I think. But at least past Kaname's feelings have really changed quite a bit, from how it was before present Zero arrived in the past. Thank you so much for your review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too :):)

**BlackAbyss: **Oh, I've seen one before too! They're super adorable! Hahah sneaky little squirrel! Oh, haha, that sounds like everyone really dotes on you :) Oh, wow, I really admire your way of thinking. Most people don't realize how superficial material things are, and that the happiness they bring won't last forever. Your outlook on life is really amazing :) I feel inspired to be a better person now, so thank you :) Thank you for enjoying the previous chapter, and also for your support and reviews! Hope this chapter was enjoyable for you :)

**Guest: **Hi there! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it :) Hope you like his chapter :)

**starryskies: **Oh wow, such awesome compliments, thank you so much! :) HAHAHAH I can totally understand that, so thank you so much for giving this fanfic a chance despite your initial hesitation. I'm really glad you enjoy Switched, and that it didn't disappoint you! *sighs in relief* Thank you so much for the compliments, and for taking the time to leave such a sweet, detailed review. I read your review in the morning and it just brightened up the rest of my day :) Thank you again and I hope you enjoyed this chapter :):)

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favourited and followed! It's really late now so I'm too bushed to type anything more. THANK YOU :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:**Hey! Chapter 14! Okay, actually, this isn't really completed, because there are more things I wanted to include. But to finish that would probably take me a few more days, so I thought I would just post this part first. :) Hope you guys are okay with that. Also, I'm really blown away by the amount of feedback I got from you guys for Chap 13. Like, _WOW. _Thank you all _so _much! Every one really means so much, so thanks :) Replies are below as usual :)

Also, please do read the note at the end of this chapter. There's some news I need to tell you guys. Hehehe...

Okay, for now, please enjoy this chapter! :)

**Disclaimer:** Credits to **Matsuri Hino**,** Blackened Wing** and **TammyTBoneTTB**!

* * *

_PRESENT_

_'__...K-kaname...?'_

Zero felt as if he were frozen in place, heart beating so hard that he could feel every thump resounding in his chest. It felt like no matter how deeply he inhaled, he couldn't get enough air to flow into his lungs.

Not breaking eye contact with his lover, the hunter gingerly slid his legs out from the lake. He couldn't tell if the shiver that racked his body was because of the evaporating sheen of cool water on the twin limbs, or because of his own churning emotions.

Was this really happening? Was Kaname really here? Or was this another dream? Would he wake up in his room after the pureblood pulled his heart out again?

But... the bond... He could feel Kaname's intense emotions transmitting across it, the disbelief and relief there mirroring his own.

A choked sob escaped Zero. This _was _real, wasn't it? Kaname, _his _Kaname, was right here!

The hunter abruptly jumped to his feet, ready to cross the short distance between him and his lover. But with his entire body still trembling in anticipation and nerviness, his shaky legs gave out the second he put his weight on them. Amethyst eyes widened as his wet feet slid down the slippery grassy edges of the lake, throwing him off balance and propelling him towards the awaiting waters.

But before he could tumble ungracefully into the lake, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back to safety. His body pressed snugly against a warm, familiar chest, a most wondrous scent filling his nostrils. When he looked up, Kaname's stunning face stared down at him, longing and tenderness apparent in those mesmerising brown orbs. The hunter's heart constricted, and another sob escaped his lips, despite his valiant attempts to get a hold of himself. The feelings were just much too strong to handle, brimming and overflowing endlessly.

'Zero...,' murmured the pureblood, mild amusement flitting across his face as he regarded him. However, his eyes glistened suspiciously, voice noticeably a little shaky as well.

Just the sound of his name, said in that familiar soft, warm voice, was enough to release the tears that Zero had been suppressing for so long. No longer caring if anyone saw, not thinking about _anything_ other than the fact that his lover, _the actual one_, was standing before him, the hunter crumbled against the other, winding his arms tightly around the pureblood, as if he would never again let go.

Kaname's arms immediately opened to welcome him, enveloping his lover in an iron embrace. Finally, _finally,_ Zero was within reach again. The heat, the skin, the scent – they were all proof that the vampire in front of him was _his_ Zero, not some other ex-human from a different time. Burying his face in the silver tresses, he inhaled deeply, relishing in the familiar, unique scent he loved so much. His arms tightened around his lover, eradicating all and any distance still remaining between them, trying to pull him as close as possible, until they could meld into one being, one_soul_, and Zero could never again leave him.

The ex-human's tears were flowing freely now, soaking the collar of Kaname's shirt. With his face buried against his lover's neck, his sobs were faint and muffled, just a whisper of the wind, his shaking shoulders the only clue of his racking sobs.

One hand slowly slid up the hunter's back until it was buried in the tousled hair. Kaname cradled his lover's head tenderly, rubbing his thumb reassuringly against his scalp. He, too, had tears running down his face, dampening the silver strands that his fingers were lovingly intertwined with.

'Zero,' he murmured quietly, his voice quivering slightly. It was unbelievably amazing to have his lover back in his arms where he belonged. For too long, Kaname had agonised, heart sputtering and shattering into pieces, not knowing if he would ever be able to hold him again. The chaotic emotions that had been relentlessly churning around within him for hours were finally starting to calm down, pacified only by the closeness of his beloved.

'Zero,' he said again, as if to reassure himself that the hunter was really here, held in his arms. It felt like _ages_ since he had called his lover, even though it had been mere days.

Zero inhaled shakily, his long tear-studded eyelashes fluttering as his eyes fell shut. His arms tightened around the pureblood, encasing him in a tight bear hug. But if Kaname felt any pain or difficulty in breathing, he didn't show it. His only response was to hold his lover closer, his own tears glistening under the moon's satisfied glow.

XXX

As gently as he could, Kaname's fingers gripped the silver strands, pulling their owner's head back. Zero blinked up at him blearily, luscious peach lips slightly parted as he continued to wheeze lightly for breath in between soft sobs. His mesmerising amethyst eyes were reddened and swimming with tears, cheeks wet and tinged with pink. The pureblood took a precious second to gaze down at his lover's flushed, gorgeous face, stunning even when in tears, mentally tracing the immaculate features and memorising them for the umpteen time.

As if he could ever forget.

And then Kaname was leaning forward, lips pressing gently against his lover's. Zero's eyes widened in surprise, but then they fluttered shut as he, too, leaned in, lips responding to his lover's touch. For a minute, Kaname left the kiss chaste and sweet, just lips moulding and brushing against one another, yet delicious all the same. But all too quickly, the insatiable beast within the pureblood reared its head, wanting to feel more. Much, _much_ more.

His tongue shot out, swiping lightly at his lover's full lower lip. It was moist and salty, from his still-flowing tears. But the tangy taste of his lover's tears only served to fuel Kaname's desire to have more. Knowing exactly what the pureblood wanted without even having to open his eyes, Zero parted his lips, granting him much-awaited access into his warm, delicious mouth.

That innocently alluring action seemed to flick an inner switch within the brunette. Without a moment's hesitation, he dove right in, tongue quickly exploring the depths of the cavern, running over fangs and teeth in its hasty excitement. Taken by surprise by his lover's sudden aggressiveness, Zero gasped lightly. But the sound was immediately swallowed up by Kaname as he continued plundering his lover's enticing warmth, his tongue engaging the other's in a seductive, leisurely dance. And then, he abruptly withdrew his tongue, lips quirking in amusement when a growl of protest rumbled deep in Zero's throat, his tongue flicking out to chase after Kaname's.

In a fluid motion, Kaname took his lover's tongue into his mouth, sucking on it hard.

Zero's eyes snapped open, all traces of tears now gone.

'Mmm!?'

Kaname grinned as much as he could, lips not relinquishing their prize.

_Mine, Zero. All of you belongs to me._

Zero shuddered, not just from the spikes of pleasure shooting through his body from Kaname's ministrations, but also his whispered words across their bond.

Belonging to a pureblood... His past self had had a massive conniption at the very idea, but the only emotions rising up in Zero at the thought was contentment and pure bliss. For he knew it went both ways. Kaname belonged to him, too.

_Yes..._

The warm hand pressed firmly against his back slid lower, inching towards more dangerous territory. Too caught up in their passionate kiss to realise, Zero remained passive and silent. The warm, delicious trail of heat left in the wake of his lover's touch caused him to sigh in pleasure, adding to the haze in his mind. He shuddered slightly, feeling a delightful warmth starting to spread through his body. This felt _so _good.

And then Kaname's hand snaked around to his front, fingers lightly stroking down the front of his pants.

Now _that_ Zero felt. The pureblood's clear intention cut through his pleasure-hazed brain, jerking him back into reality as the offending hand continued to fondle him through the fabric of his pants, causing that particular area to become just a _little_ tighter. A flush crept onto the hunter's face as he abruptly broke the kiss, turning his face away. They were in the forest, open for all to see! It wasn't just Kaname's inner vampires who might see them. Day Class students and even _Yuuki _might walk by at any time. What the hell was Kaname thinking!?

With admittedly colossal effort, the hunter put his hands flat against his lover's chest, shoving him away. Forgetting how he had pretty much been relying on the pureblood for support, his knees buckled, legs almost giving out beneath him. Taking a deep breath, he forced his legs to remain strong and hold him upright. Berating his lover for being an insatiable pervert would just not be quite as impactful if he were collapsed on the ground.

Caught by surprise, Kaname tumbled backwards, almost falling onto his bottom in the grass. Managing to catch himself just in time, his genuinely puzzled eyes sought out Zero's, wondering at the sudden change in his attitude.

As if he didn't know.

Glaring exasperatedly at him, Zero dragged the back of his hand across his mouth, wiping away all traces of their passionate kiss.

'How far were you going to go, Kaname?' demanded the hunter. 'We're out in the open!'

The pureblood's confusion gave way to amusement as he chuckled softly, not a trace of remorse on his face.

'It's okay, isn't it? You want me too, don't you?'

Zero glowered at his lover, despite the traitorous blush that continued to stain his pale cheeks. 'Idiot,' he growled. But there was no real malice in his voice. There wouldn't be, not when he was finally reunited with the lover he thought he would never see again.

Kaname didn't reply, only moving closer to him. Slowly, as if trying to show the hunter that he meant no harm, he lifted one hand to cup Zero's cheek, his thumb lightly rubbing away the tear stains marring that smooth, flawless skin. Despite himself, Zero leaned into his touch, eyes closing briefly as he took a long, deep breath, relishing in the feel of his lover's gentle caress. One of his hands lifted to cover Kaname's hand with his own, holding on to it dearly as if it were a priceless gem.

'Kaname... you're really here, aren't you?'

He didn't think he could bear it if this turned out to be another dream. His mind and soul was finally at peace, his heart no longer feeling as if it were broken into two. If he had to wake up all alone again... It would just destroy him completely. Would he ever be able to be whole again?

Amethyst eyes snapped open, staring pleadingly into Kaname's. _Please be real... Please..._

The pureblood's breath hitched at his lover's soulful expression. He looked so apprehensive and desperate, as if he couldn't believe this was actually happening.

But then a small smile grazed Kaname's lips. Wasn't he feeling the same way, after all? As if this were just another beautiful dream, one that would abruptly end and shove him back down to reality?

But this time, it _wasn't. This _was reality. Zero was his once again. His to hold, his to touch, his to love. All his.

'Yes, Zero, I'm really here,' reassured the pureblood tenderly, reaching out to grab Zero's hand, threading his fingers in between the long, pale appendages. Such a perfect fit. Wasn't there a song somewhere that spoke of how the spaces between one's fingers were where their lover's fingers fit perfectly? He had once thought that line was unbelievably sappy, but now, he realised how true it was. He lifted their joined hands, holding it in front of their faces.

'Can't you feel me, Zero? This is real. _I'm_ real. The one holding your hand, the one touching your face, it's all me_. _And it will _only_ ever be me.'

His smile softened, eyes swimming with adoration and love for his lover. 'Every time you turn around, I'll be standing right there, following you everywhere you go. Even if you get sick of me, I'm never going to leave you alone,' he promised, squeezing Zero's hand tightly.

Zero's heart swelled, wonderment overwhelming him. How was it that Kaname always knew exactly what to say? Whether it was by his touch, his words or even just his smile, the pureblood was always able to reel Zero back in from the dark hole he sometimes got lost in, calming his roiling emotions and keeping him centred at his core.

The hunter smiled softly, the worry behind his eyes slowly fading away. He let Kaname pull him into another hug, their hands still linked tightly together. Just like their hearts. Tied together for all eternity. With what his lover had just said, those embarrassingly mushy yet sincere words, how could Zero have any further doubt about the pureblood's love for him? For him, Kaname had risked his own life by coming here to the past, just to be by his side again. Of course, the pureblood probably hoped to persuade him to return to the future with him, and Zero would have to find some way to reject him, no matter how terribly difficult that would be. With Kaname actually here in person, it wasn't like before, where he could just leave – however cruel it had been – despite his lover's insistent rejection. This was an infinitelymore troublesome situation, but Zero found himself too caught up in his lover's presence to care about it for now.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little niggling started up, trying to direct his attention to something important that he was not seeing, but Zero ignored it, too content to remain snuggled up against Kaname.

'Was it Aidou who cast the Time Switcher Spell on you? Did he cry when you had to leave?' teased the hunter, smiling against the pureblood's neck.

Kaname chuckled lightly, mood lightening as he felt his lover relaxing against his chest, all traces of his previous tension gone.

'Well, he didn't _exactly _cry, but... maybe he was just holding himself back,' quipped the pureblood playfully, eyes glittering in amusement as he recalled how Aidou's eyes had repeatedly darted up from the book to him all throughout the spell, eyes wide in fretfulness and worry. The blonde had seemed so distracted by the pureblood's welfare that Kaname had actually wondered if he would make a mistake.

Thankfully, it seemed that Aidou had managed to pull it off, after all. Not that Kaname had ever had any doubt. Though the blonde noble was admittedly hot-tempered and loose-lipped, he had never let him down before.

Kaname's eyes softened. 'Aidou wasn't the only spell caster, though. The rest of my inner circle vampires were involved as well.' Then an image of the elderly woman popped into his mind, and his smile turned tender. Mind swimming with memories about that wonderful lady, he continued, without thinking. 'Kouya-san, too...'

He trailed off, eyes widening in dismay as he caught himself. Oh, damn. It wasn't that he was trying to hide it, but he hadn't wanted to bring the particular topic up until much, _much_ later, especially since Zero seemed to have forgotten all about it. What a blunder...

The hunter had not missed the mention of an unfamiliar name, as well as the subsequent stiffening of the pureblood. He pulled away slightly to look at him, brows furrowing in incomprehension when he saw the apprehension in his lover's eyes.

'Kaname? Who is Kouya-san?'

Kaname averted his lover's probing gaze, exhaling shakily as he tried to steel himself for Zero's reaction to his next words.

Zero's confusion intensified. Why was Kaname looking so guilty? Had something happened? Kouya-san... He had never heard that name before, and he was pretty up-to-date with the pureblood's affairs. So then, she had to be a stranger.

Unless...

'Did my past self hurt someone in his blood lust?'

Kaname blinked, startled gaze shooting back to his lover at those unexpected words. Zero was staring at him, intense horror and dread on his suddenly-ashen face. There was no way Kaname could bear to leave him under that impression, not when he knew how the hunter had spent most of the earlier half of his life trying to rein in the raging beast within him. Zero might put on an admirable show with all his snarling and snapping, but in reality, he had one of the purest hearts of anyone Kaname knew. Maybe even as pure as Yuuki's herself. All he had ever wanted was to protect the innocents. If he believed that past Zero had harmed an innocent, he would most definitely pin the blame on himself, even though there was absolutely nothing he could have done.

'No, Zero, don't worry. Your past self didn't hurt anyone.'

Relief flashed across wide lilac eyes, chasing away the shadows of worry and doubt. Then perplexment once again settled in.

'Then...?'

Kaname sighed softly, sombre eyes once again flitting away to gaze off into the distance. It was an unconscious reaction to feeling remorseful, one that the pureblood would only be able to show to Zero, around whom his guards were practically non-existent.

Zero stared at his lover, totally mystified. Why was Kaname refusing to speak? He was obviously hiding something, but what? Who was this Kouya-san and what did she have to do with the Time Switcher Sp-

A chill suddenly ran down his spine, horror and shock coursing through his veins.

Finally, the reason behind the niggling in his mind became clear. How had he not realised it before? He had been right _there_ when Aidou brought the book in, right _there_ when past Kaname had read the spell for the first time.

_A human sacrifice is required. The younger the sacrifice, the more likely the spell will be successful._

XXX

Zero dropped Kaname's hand as if it were a burning-hot poker, swiftly backing away from his lover. Just mere seconds ago, he had felt as if he never wanted to leave the warmth of Kaname's body, but now, he could not even bear to look at him. How could he let himself get mesmerized by those fathomless, sienna eyes, knowing what they had seen their owner doing?

Zero choked back a strangled sob, wrapping his arms around himself as his body trembled slightly, not from giddy happiness this time, but horror and repugnance. Why did this have to happen? He had been _so_ incredibly glad to have Kaname back at his side that he had been blind to what it had required for that to happen.

That pitiful, innocent human...

And it was all because of him.

'You... you sacrificed a human to come here... to come after me?'

When Zero had practically pried himself out of his embrace, Kaname's chest had tightened in agony. At his lover's repulsed expression and tone, his stomach had lurched, heart feeling as if it were once again crumbling into pieces. He had only _just_ gotten Zero back, and the hunter was _already_ sick of him. Even though he had had an inkling of the response he would receive, he had not quite pictured the scene before him: his lover looking so horrified, visibly drawing into himself as he stood shakily, eyes widened and cast downward.

Kaname stepped forward, both hands raised, a beseeching look on his face as he tried to calm his lover down. All the while, only one thought echoed round and round in his head, chilling his insides with cold dread: _Zero, please, don't reject me._

'Well... yes, but-'

Fists clenched, the hunter cut him off, voice raising several notches as he got visibly more agitated. Still he resolutely refused to meet the pureblood's eyes.

'Kaname, how _could _you? Sacrificing an innocent, just for my sake? Didn't you know how much I would hate it?'

The pureblood's face twisted in pain. He continued forward, reaching a trembling hand out towards his lover. Imploring. Hoping. ...Begging.

'Zero, please, it's not what you're thinking.'

When Zero flinched and turned away from his touch, Kaname froze for a second, feeling as if someone had their hands wrapped tightly around his throat, preventing any air from entering his lungs. He swallowed thickly, before taking a deep, shuddering breath.

'Please, Zero, please give me a chance to explain. I _promise_ it's not what you're thinking. I wouldn't do something like _that_, don't you know me well enough by now?'

The hunter inhaled shakily, still turned away from his lover. The raw agony in Kaname's voice was heart-breaking. Zero's heart clenched unbearably at the cracked, whispered words, sounding nothing at all like the ones the usually-confident pureblood spoke.

But it was the last line that really plucked at his heart-strings, sending immense guilt flooding through him. He knew that Kaname was not so selfish and cruel that he would've just gone out into the street and randomly plucked the nearest young, healthy human as sacrifice, _of course _he did, but... The fact remained that Kaname _was_ here, for _his _sake. And that meant that someone had_died_ for him.

Still, all the harrowing experiences that he had undergone together with the pureblood had not been for naught. The implicit trust that he had in the pureblood was not so weak that he could continue accusing his lover without at least hearing him out. Not when Kaname was so visibly upset and stricken.

So when that familiar hand once again reached uncertainly towards him, he did not baulk. Not this time. Silently, he let Kaname turn his head towards his, before large hands cupped his cheeks gently in their caress. His body had learnt to associate the pureblood's scent and warmth as signals of safety and bliss, so it came as no surprise that just one whiff and touch was enough to cause Zero's tensed shoulders to relax somewhat.

Kaname stared intently down into his lover's face. He had been expecting Zero to slap his hand away, so the hunter's passive reaction had taken him by pleasant surprise. His lover was still rigid and pale, but at least he was allowing Kaname to hold him this way. It meant that he was willing to listen, at the very least. A tiny wave of relief washed through him. Perhaps things would turn out fine after all. But there was still one thing...

'Zero, won't you please look at me?'

The soft entreaty caused Zero to stiffen slightly, jaw clenching. As a few seconds of silence passed, Kaname's heart started to sink. Was he wrong, after all? Zero wasn't going to give him the chance to explain?

But then, gradually, amethyst eyes flicked upwards, the hesitant, guarded orbs gazing straight into his. A quiet sigh of relief escaped Kaname's lips. While there was definitely still some uncertainty and doubt in his lover's eyes, at least he was letting him explain. And for that, he was infinitely thankful. He knew how stubborn Zero could be, especially when it came to matters that he felt very strongly for, so he was glad that at least the hunter was not just freaking out on him.

'Kouya-san was an elderly woman suffering from stage four pancreatic cancer.'

When Zero's eyes widened in shock, Kaname gave a small, sorrowful smile. 'She had been suffering through so much pain for months... And that's why she agreed to be a part of this.'

Understanding finally dawned on Zero, and his breath escaped in a whoosh. _Of course. _How could he ever have doubted otherwise? He should've known, even without asking, that Kaname would not do anything to hurt others unnecessarily. It had happened enough times already, hadn't it? Sacrificing himself for Yuuki and Zero; risking his life to save the three human children years ago; expending all his energy and power to save the Cross Academy students from the flood – Zero had seen Kaname make all of these decisions – and more – right before his eyes. How could he ever have suspected that that same gentle pureblood would have just carried this out callously? Remorse and regret were clearly reflected in those brown orbs. It had obviously not been easy for Kaname to do what he had done.

By not choosing a young and healthy human sacrifice, Kaname had increased the stakes of having the Time Switcher spell cast on him, risking his own life in the process of chasing him down. Yet, despite knowing that, he had made sure to choose someone who would be able to benefit from this arrangement, trying, as always, to find some positive in a terrible situation. Someone who was desperate to end their lives, but was unable to. Someone who would hence leap at this opportunity.

Zero would be lying if he said that he was fully accepting and comfortable with all this, even if the other party had been willing. After all, regardless of how he looked at it, an innocent life had been lost, just for _his _sake. Because of his selfish decision. But, he could not deny that alleviating a suffering, terminally-ill patient of her agony caused some shift in perspective.

Kaname peered down worriedly at his silent lover, recognising that expression on his face. Having lived with him for so long, the pureblood had eventually managed to decipher the little nuances of Zero's facial expressions. It was an extremely useful skill for trying to predict his lover's moods, especially since Zero was a master at feigning indifference and apathy.

Creased brows, slightly narrowed eyes, pursed lips – these were clear signs that Zero was currently analysing the information he had been told, weighing the pros and cons and trying to figure out how he really felt.

Kaname swallowed, an unfamiliar feeling of nervousness rising up within him as he continued to stare at Zero. He wasn't registering any strong emotions from their bond, so that meant that the hunter was calm, at the very least. Yet, he wasn't visibly responding to him, deep in thought, eyes seeing past him.

'Zero?' Kaname knew he should have just let Zero respond in his own time, but the pureblood just could not wait any longer. His anxiety levels were spiking, heart rate shooting up to reach for the stars above them. Almost unconsciously, his fingers stroked his lover's cheeks gently from where they were wrapped against his face, as if seeking some form of connection to Zero. If there wasn't any emotionally, perhaps physically, then...

With a jolt, Zero snapped back to reality, startled eyes immediately darting up to meet the pureblood's. _Oh._ There was so much insecurity and worry there, he thought. And it had been put there because of him. _Again._

When Zero's hands slowly raised, fingers closing over his outstretched arms, dread crept up Kaname's spine, his breaths becoming unsteady. Was Zero going to push him away again?

But those pale hands remained still, gripping his forearms tightly.

Kaname inhaled sharply. _Dare he hope?_

Zero shot his lover a tentative smile, eyes softening. 'I understand, Kaname. I... I don't like it, but... I understand.'

Even before he had finished speaking, Kaname was closing the distance between them, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

'Thank you, Zero. Just... Thank you.'

Zero froze for a second, caught off-guarded by his lover's sudden movement, but it wasn't long before he was returning the embrace.

'Yeah...'

For how long they remained like this, holding each other close, neither could say for sure. Time seemed to still, their surroundings falling away as they simply basked in each other's presence. For too long they had been forced to live without the other, and it had been like living with only half a heart. It always felt like something was missing, something out of reach that was so very crucial for them to keep on existing. It had been such an unbearable, pitiable existence for each of them.

But now, they had finally found each other again. Two halves of a soul, melding together and reforming the perfect whole. It was perfect. They would have been content to stay this way forever, but alas, there were far more pressing issues that Kaname just could not ignore.

'Zero, won't you return home with me?'

Zero's heart constricted at the mention of their 'home', but he firmly suppressed the feelings of hopeless yearning and nostalgia that had risen up within him. The question had been no surprise, of course. From the moment he had sensed him, he had known Kaname's motive for pursuing him all the way here. But he had to keep his resolve. No giving in, even if it was such an enticing thought, especially coming straight from his lover's lips.

_Damn it,_ cursed the hunter mentally. _Stay firm! For Yuuki. Yuuki and Kaname._

'Kaname, no. I _have_ to do this. I can't give up a chance for things with Yuuki to be different,' he whispered quietly.

'Don't you want Yuuki to live a full, happy life too?' His voice cracked slightly as he pulled back to gaze up at the pureblood, his face imploring Kaname to understand.

Kaname's eyes tensed. _Of course_ he did. So, _so_ much. It had been his fault, in more ways than one, that Yuuki had had to suffer such a terrible fate. Even if he had not realised it until it was too late, he had been the one to draw Nasser's attention to her, causing her to fall victim to another one of his twisted games. And it had also been his desperate bite that had exacerbated the illness, speeding up her death.

Though he no longer held himself directly responsible for everything – thanks to Zero's continual reaffirmations –, occasionally when he thought about her, a gigantic wave of guilt would crash over him, overwhelming him and leaving him breathless for a second. If only he had dealt with Nasser earlier. If only he had been there to protect Yuuki. If only, _if only_...

So it went without saying he wanted Yuuki alive and well again. Whether it was to see her younger self blushing up at him, stammering out a 'K-kaname-senpai!', or her older self, the one who drew him into her loving arms, smiling tenderly at him before pressing her soft lips against his in a breath-taking kiss, he would be content just to have her back at his side. Healthy. Safe. Alive.

But he wouldn't give up Zero either.

Years ago, he had hated Kiryuu Zero with every fibre of his body, cursing him for being able to stay by his beloved Yuuki's side, even if it had been Kaname himself who had planned it so. But after everything they had been through, all those horrible, unspeakable experiences, Zero was now _everything _to him. Just the thought of living without the hunter by his side filled him with irrepressible horror. Life wasn't worth anything unless Zero was with him, gazing at him, smiling at him, holding him, loving him. Zero was the wind in his sails, the sun to his moon. Without him, Kaname could not function, could not truly live. He would only remain as a dark, still entity, going through all the motions of life, but not truly feeling anything.

Zero was his _air_. There was no way Kaname would ever willingly let him go.

There was only one thing for it, then.

Grasping Zero's hands in his, looking him squarely in the eyes, Kaname calmly stated, 'Then let us stay here together in the past.'

* * *

**End! Hope you guys enjoyed that :) In case you were wondering, the song I was referring to was Vanilla Twilight by Owl City :) I've always loved that line and I was super excited to use it here hehehe :)**

**Okay, um, so now for the news. Well, as I've told you guys in previous chapters, I've been getting really busy, so I won't have much time to write for awhile. Because of that, I've decided to put this fanfic on a hiatus (after the next chapter) until things let up a little. I'm not very sure how long that'll be, honestly, but if I do find some time, I'll still post once in a while. I'm really sorry guys T.T I feel horrible about this :( I wish I could just write all day sigh, but sadly, I can't. :( However, I've also been thinking about posting random fluffy K&Z oneshots that won't take very long to write, so maybe some of those will appear one day haha.. If you guys have anything you want me to write about, just drop me a review/PM :)**

**Alright, that news was really hard to break, but it's done now yay! On a brighter note, please look forward to the next chapter :) If everything turns out well, there should be some more lovey-dovey scenes :)**

Reviews from my dear reviewers:

**BlackAbyss:** Haha don't feel bad; I know nothing of French, so you're not alone. GOOD LUCK WITH IT, THOUGH :) Yeah :) I'm really glad that past Zero got to see that side of Kaname. And to feel less angsty. Hahaha lotsa lovey-dovey moments are happening next :) Oh, no, please fangirl more :) It makes me really excited too haha! HAHAHAH a new superhero is in town, watch out guys! :) Hahah you're so adorable ^.^ Please don't ever worry about taking up my time! I enjoy having conversations here too :) Like making new friends hahaha. Thank you so much, and for the Hunger Games quote as well! Hope things go well for you too. Thanks for your support and review! :)

**shia naru:** Hello! Thank you :) Hahaha the next chapter's going to be about the present K and Z though, because I've been dying to write more lovey stuff hahah! But past K and Z will come eventually :) Hehehe this update is still within this week, so YAY! Hopefully I can finish the next one soon too :) Thank you for the review and support! :)

**CoffeeKitten**: Hello! Thank you _so much_ for telling me that! I can't believe that anyone would look forward so much to my updates, so that really makes me really happy! I do want to apologise for some spelling and grammatical mistakes I still make though T.T Oh wow, your words really give me a lot of motivation and hope! I can only tell if people enjoy this fic by the reviews/favourites/follows, so it really makes me glad to know that there are more silent readers out there who like my work :) I enjoy replying to reviews, because not only does it allow me to communicate with my readers, it's also the least that I can do for them taking the time to leave a review, since reviews bring me such great joy :) Thank you so very much for your very encouraging words! :):) Really appreciate them :)

**kanamexzero fan:** YAY REUNION! Been waiting for this for the past 13 chapters hahaha! This chapter is an extension of the previous one, so yay :) Hahah what will happen in the past, I wonder... :) Thank you so much for your support and review! :)

**mysticterrier**: Hahaha that is SO true! Kaname isn't going to just let this go, THANK GOODNESS for all us KxZ fans hahahaha. Yep, I think Zero needs to understand what he put Kaname through... :) I'm glad you like this story :) Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! :)

**Guest**: Yes! I'm so glad to be able to write some happy scenes after more than ten chaps of angst and longing and heartbreak hahaha! Time to soothe my soul hahah. Thank you so much for your review :):)

**perfectly flawed woman:** Love you too ^.^ I'm glad it went how you wanted it too :) No worries about the lateness! Better late than never hehe! Hope your computer 'gets well' soon :) Here's the next chapter hahah. Thank you so much for your support and review!:):)

**Guest:** Heheheh that's a REALLY good guess ) But... No spoilers though hahaha! We'll just have to see, won't we :) And thank you so much for your review! :D:D

**Sonzai Taz**: Hehehehe yay I'm so glad I managed to catch you by surprise hahaha! And yes! They _do_ have that chance now :) HAHAHA I would love to bring in more Aidou moments; thank you for that suggestion! :) I'll definitely keep that in mind when crafting the past K&Z chapters :) Yeah :) I really liked those interactions between Misako and Kaname :) They were so sweet :) Something _is_ indeed happening to past Zero though... :) Hahah I love how much you support Chikako! I'll be writing about her more in the past chapters :) Haha i think this fic is pretty K and Z-centric, so I really do need to bring in more characters! I think I should involve them more later on, as well :) I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapters! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a dear, long review! :):)

**gleish26**: YAY long review again hahaha. OMG the typewriter comment made me laugh so hard! It's actually because I was like writing _all the time._ But I can't do that anymore, sadly T.T Oh, good luck for that! Hope everything goes well :) Keep up the good work :) Haha I do agree with you :) But we'll have to see what K and Z decide :) Convincing Zero, though, that might be impossible LOL. There are so many possibilities for how the past will turn out, so I really need to think hard haha. OH! Thank you for commenting on the cover pic! I was beginning to worry that no one even viewed it hahah... THANK YOU:) And yes! It'll be in the next chapter, so look forward to it :) Thank you so much for the support and reviews! (I love Kaname too! *gush*)

**Chaos**: Yay, I'm glad you thought so :) Hopefully most of this chapter was sweet for you as well :):) Thank you so much for the review! :)

**haru:** Thank you for those kind words! :) I'm really glad they're together, too! Like, _finally! _Thank you for the review!:):)

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR READING THIS :) HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAP (and that Z's not OOC T.T)!


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